Effects of Oral Finasteride on Erectile Function in a Rat Model

Abstract

In a rat model, finasteride treatment for 4 weeks reduces the weight of the corpus cavernosum but appears not to affect the erectile responses to electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. As erection is a complex process involving important signaling in the brain, further studies are necessary to demonstrate the long-term effects of finasteride on both central and peripheral neural pathways of erection.