Role of Neurosteroids in Dopaminergic Modulation

The document presented evidence that neurosteroids significantly influenced dopaminergic responses in the brain. It highlighted that inhibiting 5 alpha-reductase (5AR), an enzyme crucial for neurosteroid synthesis, produced antidopaminergic effects. The study focused on finasteride (FIN), a 5AR inhibitor used for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia, which in rodents reduced behavioral issues caused by dopaminergic agents without causing catalepsy or extrapyramidal side effects. The research extended to examining other neurosteroidogenic enzymes in Sprague-Dawley rats, using a probability discounting task to explore behavioral aspects of gambling disorder.