Finasteride and Cognition?

I am a medical intern working 80+ hour week. My hair loss is probably due to a combination of stress and Androgenetic alopecia. Would taking finasteride impair my cognition? Are there any studies that test congition and finasteride use? Should I take HairDX Genetic Test before starting on finasteride?

Thanks

If you are medical intern you should know to look up these types of questions on PubMed. I have yet to come across any studies or valid reports that taking finasteride will impair cognition. There is a study that suggests finasteride can inhibit hippocampal neurogenesis in mice, but there’s another study that say sleep deprivation can cause the same thing. Plus, we don’t know how this translates to humans.

I’ve heard cognition mentioned by patients who find abstract information on the Internet, but I really do not know what to make of it. I don’t recall having patients tell me about any personal experiences with memory or concentration issues after starting finasteride, though.

With respect to the HairDX genetic test, I do not have a strong opinion. Genetic balding is diagnosed by a physical exam and the treatment is based on an individual case by case basis. The best test for the presence of hair loss is mapping the scalp for miniaturization and measuring hair bulk.