TLDR Targeting neurosteroids may help prevent drug relapse.
The study explored the relationship between stress, neurosteroids, and drug relapse, focusing on the role of allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid linked to stress and reward circuits in the brain. It was found that stress increases the release of allopregnanolone, which is associated with enhanced dopamine release in brain areas related to reward, such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. The research hypothesized that inhibiting allopregnanolone synthesis with finasteride would increase stress-induced amphetamine locomotor sensitization, suggesting a potential target for addressing relapse in substance abuse treatment.
53 citations
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October 2011 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Finasteride may help improve certain brain function issues linked to dopamine.
52 citations
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April 2002 in “Brain Research”
December 2020 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” Finasteride can have lasting negative effects on brain function and behavior by disrupting neurosteroid production.
3 citations
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May 2016 in “Behavioural Brain Research” Finasteride given to baby rats reduces dopamine release and increases alcohol consumption in adult males.
January 2020 in “Archives of urology” Finasteride, a drug used for certain conditions, can cause serious side effects like sexual dysfunction, suicidal thoughts, and increased diabetes risk, and there's a need for more awareness and research about these effects.
31 citations
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November 2014 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science” A natural steroid in the body may protect against eye damage in glaucoma.
10 citations
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May 2014 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Allopregnanolone increases KCC2 expression in baby male rats' brains, while finasteride doesn't affect it.
Allopregnanolone may help reduce inflammation and symptoms related to post-finasteride syndrome.