TLDR Neurosteroids help protect fetal brains from asphyxia damage.
The study on 34 pregnant ewes examined the effects of inhibiting allopregnanolone production on fetal sheep behavior during normoxic and asphyxic states. Finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, increased arousal-like activity and abnormal ECoG patterns, indicating a higher risk of brain injury due to hyperexcitability after hypoxia. In contrast, alfaxalone, a synthetic analog of allopregnanolone, reduced these effects and restored normal ECoG patterns, suggesting its protective role against asphyxia-induced brain damage. The findings highlighted the importance of neuroactive steroids in modulating CNS activity and protecting the fetal brain from hypoxia/ischemia-induced damage.
76 citations
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July 2009 in “Neuroscience” Neurosteroids like allopregnanolone help control cell death and growth in the developing fetal brain.
100 citations
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April 2007 in “Neuroscience” Reducing neurosteroid levels worsens brain injury in fetal sheep.
21 citations
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February 2005 in “Epilepsy & Behavior” Reducing 3α,5α-THP in the hippocampus increases seizures in female rats.
36 citations
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June 2001 in “Neuroscience Letters” Finasteride may affect fetal brain development and increase arousal, but more research is needed for safety confirmation.
48 citations
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February 1999 in “PubMed” Finasteride, a drug, can block the seizure-preventing effects of a hormone called progesterone in mice.
17 citations
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May 1998 in “Steroids” Researchers developed a model to predict how well certain compounds can block an enzyme related to hair loss and prostate issues, suggesting a 50 mg dose of finasteride might be effective based on lab and body data.
63 citations
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December 2010 in “Journal of Endocrinology” Reduced neurosteroids and growth issues can harm fetal brain development, especially in males.
75 citations
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January 2014 in “Korean Journal of Urology” 5α-reductase inhibitors can cause sexual problems, higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer, and depression.
76 citations
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July 2009 in “Neuroscience” Neurosteroids like allopregnanolone help control cell death and growth in the developing fetal brain.
40 citations
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December 2019 in “Neurobiology of Stress” Neuroactive steroids show promise for treating mental and neurological disorders by targeting GABA_A receptors.
137 citations
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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.
