Neonatal Finasteride Administration Decreases Dopamine Release in Nucleus Accumbens After Alcohol and Food Presentation in Adult Male Rats

Neonatal administration of finasteride, a drug used to treat hair loss, was found to increase alcohol consumption in adult male rats. The study showed that rats with neonatal finasteride administration had an increased adult ethanol consumption for several days of the alcohol consumption phase, and a decreased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens in response to both ethanol and food. These findings suggest that neonatal neurosteroid alterations can affect alcohol rewarding properties and may have implications for the use of finasteride in humans, particularly in relation to substance abuse and addiction.