Fig. 7

Inhibition of 5α-reductase attenuates hypothalamic inflammation and depressive-like behaviors in female mice. A Schematic illustration of dutasteride (a 5α-reductase inhibitor) or vehicle administration via bilateral infusion into the hypothalamus 2 h before LPS injection and subsequent behavioral and biochemical tests in female mice. Schematic representation of the injection site in the hypothalamus stained with Evans blue (bottom right, Scale bar 2 mm). B Hypothalamic levels of the three neurosteroids, pregnenolone, progesterone, and allopregnanolone, in female mice, n = 6–8 mice/group. C Transcriptional levels of hypothalamic Tnf, Il1b, and Il6 expression, n = 6–8 mice/group. D, E Behavioral assessments. Sucrose preference (D) and immobility in the FST (E), n = 6–8 mice/group. All data are presented as means ± SEM and were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc tests. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001