title: Depression circumstantially related to the administration of finasteride for androgenetic alopecia.
abstract: In this paper we report 19 patients (14 males, 5 females; mean age 28.16 years +/- 7.68 SD) out of a series of 23 (17 males, 5 females) who developed a mood disturbance (moderate to severe depression) during treatment with finasteride, 1 mg/day orally, for androgenetic alopecia (Hamilton subtypes III-V; Ludwig subtypes I-II). Depression, which significatively impaired sociofamilial relations, sleep and eating behaviour, was associated to marked anxiety in some cases, developed after 9-19 weeks of treatment with finasteride, and promptly resolved after suspension of the drug. Two patients accepted reintroduction of the drug, and depression relapsed within 2 weeks. Depression as an adverse effect of finasteride has been reported only once. Further studies are needed to confirm our circumstantial observations, which are based on a retrospective series of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altomare
authors.forename: Giovanni Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Capella
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride