(166) Paroxetine-induced alterations in neurosteroidogenic gene expression in the female nucleus accumbens: insights into post-SSRI sexual dysfunction
G Chrostek, S Diviccaro, L Cioffi, R C Melcangi, S Giatti
The Journal of Sexual Medicine2026
Summary (paraphrased)
Congress abstract (J Sex Med Vol 23, Suppl 4, June 2026; article page 403'd, metadata recovered via Crossref) reporting paroxetine effects on neurosteroid-synthesis genes in female rats, a neglected sex in PSSD research. qPCR of the nucleus accumbens after 14 days of paroxetine showed increased StAR and decreased TSPO and 3alpha-HSOR at treatment end, with StAR, TSPO, 3beta-HSD, and 3alpha-HSOR all reduced one month after withdrawal, pointing to persistent disruption of neurosteroidogenesis after SSRI withdrawal in females.
Why it’s in the corpus
Rare female-sex PSSD mechanistic abstract (abstract only, not a full paper): SSRI withdrawal persistently disrupts neurosteroid-synthesis gene expression in a sexual-motivation circuit, supporting a shared neurosteroid mechanism across PFS and PSSD.
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Effects of paroxetine treatment and its withdrawal on neurosteroidogenesis
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In adult male rats, paroxetine treatment and its withdrawal altered neurosteroid synthesis pathways, showing SSRIs directly perturb neurosteroidogenesis beyond their serotonergic action.
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