Early Postnatal Inhibition of Neurosteroid Synthesis Alters Later-Life Outcomes of Neonatal Asphyxia in Rats

    May 2025 in “ Neuropharmacology ”
    Björn Welzel, Ricardo Schmidt, Wolfgang Löscher
    Studysummary This study in neonatal rats found that inhibiting neurosteroid synthesis with finasteride unexpectedly reduced the severity and duration of neonatal seizures following birth asphyxia, maintained cognitive functions, but increased anxiety-like behaviors, highlighting a complex role of neurosteroids in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy outcomes.
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    Research cited in this study 17

    1. Three-Dimensional Proteome-Wide Scale Screening for the 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Finasteride: Identification of a Novel Off-Target Journal of Medicinal Chemistry · 2021
    2. Early Postnatal Neuroactive Steroid Manipulation Differentially Affects Recognition Memory and Passive Avoidance Performance in Male Rats Behavioural Brain Research · 2020
    3. Post-Finasteride Syndrome: A Surmountable Challenge for Clinicians Fertility and Sterility · 2020
    4. Neurosteroids in Adult Hippocampus of Male and Female Rodents: Biosynthesis and Actions of Sex Steroids Frontiers in endocrinology · 2018
    5. Neonatal Finasteride Administration Alters Hippocampal α4 and δ GABAAR Subunits Expression and Behavioral Responses to Progesterone in Adult Rats The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2013
    6. Neonatal Neurosteroid Levels Are Determinant in Shaping Adult Prepulse Inhibition Response to Hippocampal Allopregnanolone in Rats Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2013
    7. Alteration of Neonatal Allopregnanolone Levels Affects Exploration, Anxiety, Aversive Learning, and Adult Behavioral Response to Intrahippocampal Neurosteroids Behavioural Brain Research · 2012
    8. Role of Neurosteroids in the Anticonvulsant Activity of Midazolam British Journal of Pharmacology · 2011
    9. Bioequivalence of a Single 10-mg Dose of Finasteride 5-mg Oral Disintegrating Tablets and Standard Tablets in Healthy Adult Male Han Chinese Volunteers: A Randomized Sequence, Open-Label, Two-Way Crossover Study Clinical Therapeutics · 2009
    10. Alterations in Neonatal Neurosteroids Affect Exploration During Adolescence and Prepulse Inhibition in Adulthood Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2009
    11. Neonatal Finasteride Induces Anxiogenic-Like Profile and Deteriorates Passive Avoidance in Adulthood After Intrahippocampal Neurosteroid Administration Neuroscience · 2008
    12. Studies on Neurosteroids XXV: Influence of a 5α-Reductase Inhibitor, Finasteride, on Rat Brain Neurosteroid Levels and Metabolism Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin · 2008
    13. Inhibition of Neurosteroid Synthesis Increases Asphyxia-Induced Brain Injury in the Late Gestation Fetal Sheep Neuroscience · 2007
    14. A New Look at the 5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor Finasteride Cns Drug Reviews · 2006
    15. The Role of Pregnane Neurosteroids in Ethanol Withdrawal: Behavioral Genetic Approaches Pharmacology & Therapeutics · 2004
    16. Depletion of Cortical Allopregnanolone Potentiates Stress-Induced Increase in Cortical Dopamine Output Brain Research · 2002
    17. Pharmacokinetic Parameters and Mechanisms of Inhibition of Rat Type 1 and 2 Steroid 5α-Reductases: Determinants for Different In Vivo Activities of GI198745 and Finasteride in the Rat Biochemical Pharmacology · 2001

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