TLDR Reduced neurosteroids and growth issues can harm fetal brain development, especially in males.
The study examined the impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and reduced neurosteroid levels, specifically allopregnanolone, on fetal guinea pig brain development. It found that IUGR and finasteride treatment, which inhibits allopregnanolone synthesis, led to decreased myelination and altered glial cell marker expression, indicating potential neurodevelopmental issues. The study revealed sex-specific differences, with male fetuses showing higher 5α-reductase type 1 expression. Despite unchanged brain allopregnanolone concentrations in IUGR fetuses, the reduced expression of 5α-reductase type 2 suggested a limited capacity for neurosteroid synthesis post-birth, potentially predisposing them to neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings underscored the protective role of neurosteroids in brain development and their potential in treating neurological disorders linked to perinatal stressors.
76 citations
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July 2009 in “Neuroscience” Neurosteroids like allopregnanolone help control cell death and growth in the developing fetal brain.
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April 2007 in “Neuroscience” Reducing neurosteroid levels worsens brain injury in fetal sheep.
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November 2006 in “Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior” Pregnancy reduces anxiety in rats, but finasteride reverses this effect.
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February 1999 in “PubMed” Finasteride, a drug, can block the seizure-preventing effects of a hormone called progesterone in mice.
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September 2012 in “Alcohol and Alcoholism” Alcohol in teen years leads to more adult drinking, finasteride doesn't help.
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November 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Lower levels of certain brain chemicals are linked to worse PTSD symptoms in men.
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January 2018 in “Reproduction” Inhibiting 5α-reductase increases progesterone levels in late pregnant mares.
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March 2006 in “Cns Drug Reviews” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate and hair loss, but may cause side effects in some patients.
September 2024 in “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may help protect the brain and gut in Parkinson's disease.
4 citations
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August 2021 in “Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, may cause depression, but more research is needed to understand why.
