Finasteride Inhibits the Disease-Modifying Activity of Progesterone in the Hippocampus Kindling Model of Epileptogenesis

The study investigated the effect of finasteride on the disease-modifying activity of progesterone in the hippocampus kindling model of epileptogenesis. The results showed that finasteride inhibits the production of 5a-reduced, anticonvulsant neurosteroids, including androstanediol and THDOC, which are derived from testosterone and deoxycorticosterone, respectively. Finasteride also inhibits the conversion of P to allopregnanolone, which is a neurosteroid that protects against seizures. The study suggests that dysregulation of neurosteroid synthesis may play a role in epileptogenesis. Finasteride treatment has led to exacerbation of seizures in epilepsy rats and accelerated the rate of epileptogenesis in mice. However, there is little evidence that finasteride causes seizures in humans who do not have epilepsy or exacerbates epileptogenesis in persons at high risk for developing epilepsy.