Altered Methylation Patterns of the SRD5A2 Gene in Post-Finasteride Syndrome Patients: A Pilot Study

This pilot study investigates the epigenetic modifications in patients suffering from Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS). The researchers focused on the methylation patterns of the SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 gene promoters in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples. The study included 16 PFS patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls.

The results revealed that the SRD5A2 promoter was significantly more methylated in the CSF of PFS patients compared to the controls, while no methylation was detected in blood samples. This methylation may play a crucial role in the altered neuroactive steroid levels observed in PFS patients, potentially leading to the behavioral disturbances associated with the syndrome.

These findings suggest that finasteride treatment may lead to tissue-specific epigenetic changes, which could underlie the persistent symptoms seen in PFS. However, it remains unclear whether these methylation patterns are established prenatally or induced by finasteride treatment itself.

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