Neurosteroidogenesis and Exploratory Responses in Rodents

The study investigated the effects of various substances on the exploratory behavior of male BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice, and Wistar rats using an open-field test. The substances tested included PK11195, indomethacin, finasteride, and pregnenolone. PK11195 was found to weaken exploratory behavior in mice, while both finasteride and indomethacin reduced exploratory responses across all rodent species and stress response phenotypes. Pregnenolone had an activating effect in the open-field test but also enhanced the inhibitory effect of finasteride in BALB/c mice.