73 citations,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride use changes brain chemicals, causing lasting sexual issues and anxiety/depression.
61 citations,
April 2014 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Finasteride affects brain and blood steroids, causing lasting sexual and emotional side effects.
54 citations,
August 2005 in “Alcohol” Finasteride affects alcohol intake in male mice, possibly due to neurosteroids.
40 citations,
December 2012 in “Epilepsia” Neurosteroids change how GABA_A receptors work in the brain, which could be important for treating temporal lobe epilepsy.
34 citations,
November 2011 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Three drugs change mice's alcohol drinking patterns by affecting GABAA receptors.
33 citations,
December 2015 in “Neuroendocrinology” Finasteride treatment changes brain steroid levels and receptors, affecting brain function even after stopping treatment.
33 citations,
April 2015 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity” 5α reductase inhibitors treat hair loss but may cause sexual side effects and risks.
32 citations,
May 2010 in “Pharmacopsychiatry” Finasteride reduces new brain cells in male mice, possibly causing depression.
31 citations,
November 2014 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science” A natural steroid in the body may protect against eye damage in glaucoma.
27 citations,
June 2013 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Finasteride use may lead to less alcohol consumption in men with lasting sexual side effects.
27 citations,
July 2008 in “Neuroscience” Finasteride given to baby rats causes anxiety-like behavior and worsens learning from punishment in adult rats.
21 citations,
June 2005 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Finasteride reduces alcohol withdrawal severity and anxiety in mice, but may increase withdrawal severity in some cases.
17 citations,
February 2014 in “The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology” 
12 citations,
January 2013 in “Alcohol and Alcoholism” Alcohol in teen years leads to more adult drinking, finasteride doesn't help.
10 citations,
May 2018 in “Neuropharmacology” Drugs for hormone-related conditions might help treat mental disorders but could have serious side effects.
10 citations,
September 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.
5 citations,
October 2020 in “Brain Research Bulletin” Etifoxine, an anxiety drug, can lessen brain inflammation and cognitive issues in mice, partly by increasing production of protective brain steroids.
4 citations,
January 2018 in “General Physiology and Biophysics” The steroids allopregnanolone and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosteron worsened absence seizures in rats.
1 citations,
March 2020 in “Journal of Pharmacological Sciences” Benzothiazepines like diltiazem reduce anxiety in mice by making neurosteroids.
1 citations,
January 2019 in “Elsevier eBooks” Neuroactive steroids may affect the risk and treatment of alcohol use disorders.
January 2011 in “Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism/Journal of pediatric endocrinology and metabolism” Hyperthyroidism can hide signs of high androgen levels in females.