14 citations
,
October 2016 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study identified significant changes in the expression of nine proteins in the nucleus accumbens of rats treated with finasteride, suggesting potential novel targets for its neuropsychiatric effects.
50 citations
,
September 2016 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found no evidence of androgen deficiency or decreased peripheral androgen action in men with persistent sexual symptoms after finasteride use, but identified links to depressed mood and abnormal brain function.
21 citations
,
April 2016 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” This paper discusses the potential relationship between finasteride's adverse effects and factors like hand preference and sexual orientation, suggesting these could influence risk in male androgenic alopecia treatment, but reports no new clinical results.
43 citations
,
January 2016 in “International Journal of Andrology” This study found that men experiencing long-term symptoms after finasteride use for androgenetic alopecia frequently reported loss of penis sensitivity and anhedonia, among other effects, indicating potential post-finasteride syndrome.
33 citations
,
December 2015 in “Neuroendocrinology” This study found that subchronic finasteride treatment in male rats altered neuroactive steroid levels and steroid receptor expression in the brain, with some changes persisting after drug withdrawal.
111 citations
,
August 2015 in “Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders” 5α-reductase inhibitors may cause persistent sexual dysfunction and depression, needing more research on long-term effects.
69 citations
,
July 2015 in “Pharmacotherapy” This study found that low-dose finasteride use in young men was associated with higher reporting of persistent sexual dysfunction, with some cases linked to suicidal ideation.
33 citations
,
April 2015 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity” This review discusses the potential persistent adverse effects associated with 5α reductase inhibitor treatment for androgenetic alopecia but provides no new clinical results; it emphasizes the importance of discussing these risks with patients.
44 citations
,
April 2015 in “PubMed” This study reports that clinical trials of finasteride for androgenic alopecia provide insufficient and systematically biased safety data, with most participants unrepresentative of those in pivotal trials that led to FDA approval.
31 citations
,
March 2015 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This review discusses the complexity of neuroactive steroid therapies for neuroprotection and reports no new clinical findings, suggesting potential unexpected effects in the brain compared to systemic levels.
186 citations
,
February 2015 in “Frontiers in Neuroscience” This review discusses the complex effects of testosterone on the brain, emphasizing sex differences, and reports no clinical results; the authors highlight the inconsistencies in current study findings.
36 citations
,
June 2014 in “PLOS ONE” This study found that men with persistent sexual side effects after using finasteride for androgenetic alopecia had higher androgen receptor expression in certain tissues compared to those who never used the drug.
81 citations
,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” This study highlights that adverse effects from finasteride may persist in men after discontinuation, indicating a potential "post-finasteride syndrome.
61 citations
,
April 2014 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This study reports that men with androgenic alopecia experience altered neuroactive steroid levels associated with persistent depression symptoms even after stopping finasteride treatment.
73 citations
,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study observed that androgenic alopecia patients taking finasteride had altered neuroactive steroid levels and persistent depression symptoms even after stopping the treatment.
71 citations
,
November 2012 in “Expert Opinion on Drug Safety” This article reviews the reported sexual and psychological side effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for benign prostatic hyperplasia, emphasizing the need for further clinical studies.
134 citations
,
August 2012 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” This study found that former finasteride users with persistent sexual side effects reported significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts compared to controls.
112 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, 96% of men with persistent sexual side effects from finasteride reported continued dysfunction after discontinuation, suggesting these effects may endure long-term.
44 citations
,
July 2012 in “Endocrine Practice” This review highlights the need for a deeper understanding of 5alpha-reductases and neuroactive steroids to reduce potential adverse effects of 5alpha-reductase inhibitors used for conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia, but reports no new clinical results.
29 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study using a rat model, discontinuing dutasteride improved some relaxant responses but did not fully restore erectile function, indicating a potential time-dependent detriment of the drug.
185 citations
,
March 2011 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study found that 94% of healthy men reported low libido and 92% reported erectile dysfunction as persistent sexual side effects after using finasteride for male pattern hair loss, with these effects lasting on average 40 months post-discontinuation.
223 citations
,
December 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This review discusses persistent adverse effects of 5α‐reductase inhibitors, like diminished libido and erectile dysfunction, in some patients and highlights the need for patient discussions before therapy, especially for androgenetic alopecia.
260 citations
,
July 2010 in “Cell” This study identifies mutations in the SRD5A3 gene as a cause of a new type of congenital disorder of glycosylation, impacting mental, ophthalmologic, and cerebellar functions.
215 citations
,
November 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that dutasteride increased scalp hair growth in men with male pattern hair loss, particularly at a 2.5 mg dose, and was more effective than finasteride over 24 weeks.
99 citations
,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” This preliminary study suggests that finasteride might cause depressive symptoms, indicating the need for cautious prescription in patients at high risk for depression.
137 citations
,
March 2006 in “Cns Drug Reviews” This review explores finasteride's effects on neuroactive steroid levels and their potential influence on disorders like depression and alcohol withdrawal but reports no new clinical findings.
88 citations
,
October 2002 in “Journal of Dermatology” In this study, 19 patients treated with finasteride for androgenetic alopecia developed moderate to severe depression, which resolved after stopping the medication, suggesting an association between finasteride and mood disturbances.
125 citations
,
January 1999 in “Drugs” This study found that oral finasteride 1 mg/day promotes hair growth and prevents further hair loss in a significant proportion of men with male pattern hair loss over two years.
581 citations
,
October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” In male pattern hair loss, this study found that finasteride 1 mg daily significantly slowed hair loss and increased hair growth over two years compared to placebo.
