The Influence of Finasteride on Mean and Relative Spectral Density of EEG Bands in Rat Model of Thioacetamide-Induced Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Abstract

Liver failure is associated with a neuropsychiatric syndrome, known as hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Finasteride, inhibitor of neurosteroid synthesis, may improve the course of HE. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of finasteride on mean and relative power density of EEG bands, determined by spectral analysis, in rat model of thioacetamide-induced HE. Male Wistar rats were divided into groups: (1) control; (2) thioacetamide-treated group, TAA (900mg/kg); (3) finasteride-treated group, FIN (150mg/kg); and (4) group treated with finasteride (150mg/kg) and thioacetamide (900mg/kg), FIN+TAA. Daily doses of FIN (50mg/kg) and TAA (300mg/kg) were administered during 3subsequent days, and in FIN+TAA group FIN was administered 2h before every dose of TAA. EEG was recorded 22-24h after treatment and analyzed by fast Fourier transformation. While TAA did not induce significant changes in the beta band, mean and relative power in this band were significantly higher in FIN+TAA versus control group (p<0.01). TAA caused a significant decline in mean power in alpha, theta, and delta band, and in FIN+TAA group the mean power in these bands was significantly higher compared with control. While in TAA group relative power was significantly decreased in theta (p<0.01) and increased in delta band (p<0.01) versus control, the opposite changes were found in FIN+TAA group: an increase in theta (p<0.01) and a decrease in delta relative power (p<0.01). In this study, finasteride pretreatment caused EEG changes that correspond to mild TAA-induced HE.