Most-published researchers

This post covers researchers who have published at least three papers on adverse effects of finasteride and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors when taken as a treatment for hair loss, typically by younger men. Collectively, this group has published more than 60 papers on this topic.

Keep in mind these caveats:

• This list does not represent all important contributions to this topic (see other bibliographies).
• This is not a complete list of these researchers’ work.
• Each researcher has co-authors who have made important contributions.
• Researchers focused on drug efficacy or the benign prostatic hyperplasia indication have not been included.

Overview

Click an author name to jump to their papers. Each publication list is in reverse chronological order.

Sabina Cauci

Dr. Cauci is affiliated with the School of Medicine at University of Udine, Italy. Her research on this topic, published between 2014 and 2017, investigated in part whether certain androgen receptor gene polymorphisms could predict persistent adverse effects after discontinuing finasteride.

Cauci S, Chiriacò G, Cecchin E, et al. Androgen receptor (AR) gene (CAG)n and (GGN)n length polymorphisms and symptoms in young males with long-lasting adverse effects after finasteride use against androgenic alopecia. Sex Med. 2017 Mar. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2016.11.001 • PubMed • PMC full text

Chiriacò G, Cauci S, Mazzon G, Trombetta C. An observational retrospective evaluation of 79 young men with long-term adverse effects after use of finasteride against androgenetic alopecia. Andrology. 2016. doi:10.1111/andr.12147 • PubMed • Free full text (Wiley)

Cecchin E, De Mattia E, Mazzon G, Cauci S, Trombetta C, Toffoli G. A pharmacogenetic survey of androgen receptor (CAG)n and (GGN)n polymorphisms in patients experiencing long term side effects after finasteride discontinuation. Int J Biol Markers. 2014. doi:10.5301/jbm.5000095 • PubMed

Di Loreto C, La Marra F, Mazzon G, Belgrano E, Trombetta C, Cauci S. Immunohistochemical evaluation of androgen receptor and nerve structure density in human prepuce from patients with persistent sexual side effects after finasteride use for androgenetic alopecia. PLoS One. 2014. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100237 • PubMed

Marcello H. A. Da Silva & Diogo B. De Souza

Drs. Da Silva and De Souza are affiliated with the Urogenital Research Unit at Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil. These papers use histomorphometric techniques (microscopic imaging and measurement of tissue) to investigate changes in penile tissue and kidneys of rats exposed to finasteride or dutasteride. (ORCID profiles: Da Silva • De Souza)

Da Silva MHA, Estrada JHD, Gregório BM, et al. Does treatment with dutasteride or finasteride has [sic] impact on renal morphology? Experimental study. Acta Cir Bras. 2021 Sep 15. doi:10.1590/ACB360703 • PubMed • PMC full text

Da Silva MHA, Medeiros JL Jr, Costa WS, Sampaio FJB, De Souza DB. Effects of the dutasteride and sildenafil association in the penis of a benign prostatic hyperplasia animal model. Aging Male. 2020 Dec. doi:10.1080/13685538.2019.1653839 • PubMed • Journal full text

Da Silva MHA, Costa WS, B Sampaio FJ, De Souza DB. The corpus cavernosum after treatment with dutasteride or finasteride: a histomorphometric study in a benign prostatic hyperplasia rodent model. Asian J Androl. 2018. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_28_18 • PubMed • PMC full text

Michael Irwig

Michael Irwig, MD is a board-certified endocrinologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Irwig's 2011 article was the second to report persistent adverse effects in patients who had discontinued finasteride. Often in the form of case series, Dr. Irwig's publications have raised a range of safety concerns about persistent adverse effects of finasteride including depression and suicidality, as well as a pattern of reduced alcohol consumption. (Profiles: BIDMC • Harvard • Endocrine Society)

Irwig MS. How routine pharmacovigilance failed to identify finasteride’s persistent sexual side effects. Andrology. 2021 Oct 28. doi:10.1111/andr.13122 • PubMed

Healy D, Bahrick A, Bak M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin. Int J Risk Saf Med. 2021 Oct 26. doi:10.3233/JRS-210023 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Finasteride and suicide: a postmarketing case series. Dermatology. 2020. doi:10.1159/000505151 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Safety concerns regarding 5α reductase inhibitors for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2015. doi:10.1097/MED.0000000000000158 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Androgen levels and semen parameters among former users of finasteride with persistent sexual adverse effects. JAMA Dermatol. 2014. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.1830 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Persistent sexual and nonsexual adverse effects of finasteride in younger men. Sex Med Rev. 2014. doi:10.1002/smrj.19 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Decreased alcohol consumption among former male users of finasteride with persistent sexual side effects: a preliminary report. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013. doi:10.1111/acer.12177 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among former users of finasteride with persistent sexual side effects. J Clin Psychiatry. 2012. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m07887 • PubMed

Irwig MS. Persistent sexual side effects of finasteride: Could they be permanent? J Sex Med. 2012. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02846.x • PubMed

Irwig MS, Kolukula S. Persistent sexual side effects of finasteride for male pattern hair loss. J Sex Med. 2011. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02255.x • PubMed

Mohit Khera

Mohit Khera, MD, MBA, MPH is Professor of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine. Khera et al., 2021 and Howell et al., 2022 report findings from a multi-year, controlled study of post-finasteride patients which examined 1) penile vascular status of post-finasteride patients using ultrasonography, and 2) gene expression changes in penile tissue biopsies. (Profiles: Baylor College of Medicine • SMSNA)

Healy D, Bahrick A, Bak M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin. Int J Risk Saf Med. 2021 Oct 26. doi:10.3233/JRS-210023 • PubMed

Howell S, Song W, Pastuszak A, Khera M. Differential gene expression in post-finasteride syndrome patients. J Sex Med. 2021 Sep. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.05.009 • PubMed

Khera M, Than JK, Anaissie J, et al. Penile vascular abnormalities in young men with persistent side effects after finasteride use for the treatment of androgenic alopecia. Transl Androl Urol. 2020. doi:10.21037/tau.2020.03.21 • PubMed • PMC full text

Than JK, Rodriguez K, Khera M. Post-finasteride syndrome: a review of current literature. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2018. doi:10.1007/s11930-018-0163-4

Agnieszka Kolasa-Wołosiuk

Dr. Kolasa-Wołosiuk is Professor in the Department of Histology and Embryology at Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland. Most of these papers have focused on the effects of finasteride on gene and protein expression in the male rat reproductive system, including male offspring of finasteride-treated males. Two papers have investigated metabolic effects of finasteride in a rat model. (ORCID profile)

Kolasa A, Rogińska D, Rzeszotek S, Machaliński B, Wiszniewska B. Paternal finasteride treatment can influence the testicular transcriptome profile of male offspring-preliminary study. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2021 Jul 31. doi:10.3390/cimb43020062 • PubMed

Kur P, Kolasa-Wołosiuk A, Grabowska M, et al. The postnatal offspring of finasteride-treated male rats shows hyperglycaemia, elevated hepatic glycogen storage and altered GLUT2, IR, and AR expression in the liver. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 27. doi:10.3390/ijms22031242 • PubMed • PMC full text

Baig MS, Kolasa-Wołosiuk A, Pilutin A, et al. Finasteride-induced inhibition of 5α-reductase type 2 could lead to kidney damage—animal, experimental study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019. doi:10.3390/ijerph16101726 • PubMed

Kolasa-Wołosiuk A, Tarnowski M, Baranowska-Bosiacka I, Chlubek D, Wiszniewska B. Antioxidant enzyme expression of mRNA and protein in the epididymis of finasteride-treated male rat offspring during postnatal development. Arch Med Sci. 2019 May. doi:10.5114/aoms.2017.68528 • PubMed • PMC full text

Kolasa-Wolosiuk A, Misiakiewicz-Has K, Baranowska-Bosiacka I, Gutowska I, Wiszniewska B. Androgen levels and apoptosis in the testis during postnatal development of finasteride-treated male rat offspring. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2015. doi:10.5603/fhc.a2015.0025 • PubMed

Kolasa A, Marchlewicz M, Wenda-Różewicka L, Wiszniewska B. DHT deficiency perturbs the integrity of the rat seminiferous epithelium by disrupting tight and adherens junctions. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2011. doi:10.5603/fhc.2011.0010 • PubMed

Kolasa A, Marchlewicz M, Kurzawa R, et al. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the testis and epididymis of rats with a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) deficiency. Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2009. doi:10.2478/s11658-009-0019-z • PubMed • PMC full text

Kolasa A, Marchlewicz M, Adler G, Ciechanowicz A, Głabowski W, Wiszniewska B. Expression of E-SOD, GPX5 mRNAs and immunoexpression of Cu/ZnSOD in epididymal epithelial cells of finasteride-treated rats. Andrologia. 2008 Oct. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0272.2008.00858.x • PubMed

Roberto Cosimo Melcangi & Silvia Giatti

Roberto Cosimo Melcangi, PhD is Professor and Silvia Giatti, PhD is a Researcher in the Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Milan, Italy. Their research program has investigated the etiology of post-finasteride syndrome and post-SSRI sexual dysfunction in humans and animal models. Their work has employed a range of measures and methodologies including neurosteroid levels, RNA expression, epigenetic changes, evoked nerve potentials, neuroanatomical assays, gut microbiota composition and computational biochemistry.

[Abstract] Giatti S, Diviccaro S, Di Domizio A, et al. Finasteride inhibits epinephrine synthesis in humans: implication for sexual dysfunction. Endocrine Abstracts. 2022 May;81:P448. doi:10.1530/endoabs.81.P448

Healy D, Bahrick A, Bak M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin. Int J Risk Saf Med. 2021 Oct 26. doi:10.3233/JRS-210023 • PubMed

Giatti S, Di Domizio A, Diviccaro S, et al. Three-dimensional proteome-wide scale screening for the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor finasteride: identification of a novel off-target. J Med Chem. 2021 Apr 22. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02039 • PubMed • PMC full text

Borgo F, Macandog AD, Diviccaro S, et al. Alterations of gut microbiota composition in post-finasteride patients: a pilot study. J Endocrinol Invest. 2020 Sep 19. doi:10.1007/s40618-020-01424-0 • PubMed • PMC full text

Diviccaro S, Giatti S, Borgo F, et al. Treatment of male rats with finasteride, an inhibitor of 5alpha-reductase enzyme, induces long-lasting effects on depressive-like behavior, hippocampal neurogenesis, neuroinflammation and gut microbiota composition. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.09.021 • PubMed

Diviccaro S, Melcangi RC, Giatti S. Post-finasteride syndrome: an emerging clinical problem. Neurobiol Stress. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100209 • PubMed

Melcangi RC, Casarini L, Marino M, et al. Altered methylation pattern of the SRD5A2 gene in the cerebrospinal fluid of post-finasteride patients: a pilot study. Endocr Connect. 2019. doi:10.1530/EC-19-0199 • PubMed

Giatti S, Diviccaro S, Panzica G, Melcangi RC. Post-finasteride syndrome and post-SSRI sexual dysfunction: two sides of the same coin? Endocrine. 2018. doi:10.1007/s12020-018-1593-5 • PubMed

Litim N, Morissette M, Caruso D, Melcangi RC, Di Paolo T. Effect of the 5α-reductase enzyme inhibitor dutasteride in the brain of intact and parkinsonian mice. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2017. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.09.021 • PubMed

Melcangi RC, Santi D, Spezzano R, et al. Neuroactive steroid levels and psychiatric and andrological features in post-finasteride patients. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2017. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.04.003 • PubMed

Giatti S, Foglio B, Romano S, et al. Effects of subchronic finasteride treatment and withdrawal on neuroactive steroid levels and their receptors in the male rat brain. Neuroendocrinology. 2016. doi:10.1159/000442982 • PubMed

Caruso D, Abbiati F, Giatti S, et al. Patients treated for male pattern hair with finasteride show, after discontinuation of the drug, altered levels of neuroactive steroids in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2015. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2014.03.012 • PubMed

Traish AM, Melcangi RC, Bortolato M, Garcia-Segura LM, Zitzmann M. Adverse effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors: What do we know, don’t know, and need to know? Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2015. doi:10.1007/s11154-015-9319-y • PubMed

Melcangi RC, Caruso D, Abbiati F, et al. Neuroactive steroid levels are modified in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of post-finasteride patients showing persistent sexual side effects and anxious/depressive symptomatology. J Sex Med. 2013. doi:10.1111/jsm.12269 • PubMed

Ion Motofei

Dr. Ion G. Motofei is on the Faculty of General Medicine at Carol Davila University and affiliated with St. Pantelimon Hospital in Bucharest, Romania. His papers have explored novel hypotheses such as brain lateralization, hand preference and sexual orientation as risk factors for adverse effects of finasteride. He was a co-author of the only paper on dental adverse effects of finasteride. (ORCID profile)

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Tampa M, et al. Finasteride and androgenic alopecia; from therapeutic options to medical implications. J Dermatolog Treat. 2020. doi:10.1080/09546634.2019.1595507 • PubMed

Rowland DL, Motofei IG, Păunică I, et al. Androgenic alopecia; the risk–benefit ratio of finasteride. J Mind Med Sci. 2018. doi:10.22543/7674.51.P16 • Full text at journal

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Georgescu SR, et al. Post-finasteride adverse effects in male androgenic alopecia: a case report of vitiligo. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2017. doi:10.1159/000455972 • PubMed

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Manea M, Georgescu SR, Păunică I, Sinescu I. Safety profile of finasteride: distribution of adverse effects according to structural and informational dichotomies of the mind/brain. Clin Drug Investig. 2017. doi:10.1007/s40261-017-0501-8 • PubMed

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Georgescu SR, Tampa M, Baleanu BC, Paunica S. Are hand preference and sexual orientation possible predicting factors for finasteride adverse effects in male androgenic alopecia? Exp Dermatol. 2016. doi:10.1111/exd.13003 • PubMed

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Georgescu SR, et al. Finasteride adverse effects in subjects with androgenic alopecia: A possible therapeutic approach according to the lateralization process of the brain. J Dermatolog Treat. 2016. doi:10.3109/09546634.2016.1161155 • PubMed

Paunica S, Giurgiu M, Vasilache A, et al. Finasteride adverse effects and post-finasteride syndrome; implications for dentists. Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences. 2016. Journal site

Motofei IG, Rowland DL, Georgescu SR, et al. A pilot study on the sexual side effects of finasteride as related to hand preference for men undergoing treatment of male pattern baldness. BJU Int. 2013. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2012.11580.x • PubMed

Abdulmaged Traish

Dr. Traish is Emeritus Professor of Urology at Boston University School of Medicine. A 2011 article, with Dr. Traish as lead author, was the first peer-reviewed article on persistent adverse effects of finasteride in human patients. His work has investigated adverse effects of finasteride on sexual function and metabolism. The first two articles below are in-depth reviews of each of these areas. (Faculty profile)

Traish AM. Health risks associated with long-term finasteride and dutasteride use: It’s time to sound the alarm. World J Mens Health. 2020 Jul. doi:10.5534/wjmh.200012 • PubMed • PMC full text

Traish AM. Post-finasteride syndrome: a surmountable challenge for clinicians. Fertil Steril. 2020. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.11.030 • PubMed

Traish AM, Krakowsky Y, Doros G, Morgentaler A. Do 5α-reductase inhibitors raise circulating serum testosterone levels? a comprehensive review and meta-analysis to explaining paradoxical results. Sex Med Rev. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.06.002 • PubMed

Traish A, Bolanos J, Nair S, Saad F, Morgentaler A. Do androgens modulate the pathophysiological pathways of inflammation? Appraising the contemporary evidence. J Clin Med. 2018. doi:10.3390/jcm7120549 • PubMed • PMC full text

Traish, AM. The post-finasteride syndrome: clinical manifestation of drug-induced epigenetics due to endocrine disruption. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2018. doi:10.1007/s11930-018-0161-6

Traish AM. Negative impact of testosterone deficiency and 5α-reductase inhibitors therapy on metabolic and sexual function in men. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-70178-3_22 • PubMed

Traish A, Haider KS, Doros G, Haider A. Long-term dutasteride therapy in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia alters glucose and lipid profiles and increases severity of erectile dysfunction. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. 2017. doi:10.1515/hmbci-2017-0015 • PubMed

Traish AM. The impact of the 5α-reductase inhibitors (5α-RIs) on male sexual function and psychological well-being. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2015. doi:10.1007/s11930-015-0061-y

Traish AM, Haider KS, Doros G, Haider A. Finasteride, not tamsulosin, increases severity of erectile dysfunction and decreases testosterone levels in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. 2015. doi:10.1515/hmbci-2015-0015 • PubMed

Traish AM, Melcangi RC, Bortolato M, Garcia-Segura LM, Zitzmann M. Adverse effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors: What do we know, don’t know, and need to know? Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2015. doi:10.1007/s11154-015-9319-y • PubMed

Traish AM, Guay AT, Zitzmann M. 5α-Reductase inhibitors alter steroid metabolism and may contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and vascular disease: a medical hypothesis. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. 2014. doi:10.1515/hmbci-2014-0025 • PubMed

Traish AM, Mulgaonkar A, Giordano N. The dark side of 5α-reductase inhibitors’ therapy: sexual dysfunction, high Gleason grade prostate cancer and depression. Korean J Urol. 2014. doi:10.4111/kju.2014.55.6.367 • PubMed

[Comment] Traish AM, Morgentaler A. Re: effect of finasteride on serum levels of androstenedione, testosterone and their 5α-reduced metabolites in men at risk for prostate cancer. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2013. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.06.013 • PubMed

Traish AM. 5α-reductases in human physiology: an unfolding story. Endocr Pract. 2012. doi:10.4158/EP12108.RA • PubMed

Traish AM, Hassani J, Guay AT, Zitzmann M, Hansen ML. Adverse side effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors therapy: persistent diminished libido and erectile dysfunction and depression in a subset of patients. J Sex Med. 2011. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02157.x • PubMed