We report on measurements of the out-of-plane resistivity and magnetoresistance in the normal state region above the critical temperature T c in optimally doped and overdoped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + x single crystals. The temperature dependence of the out-of-plane resistivity indicates thermally activated hopping of carriers over an interplane pseudogap. In the overdoped samples this behavior gradually changes to a metallic-like resistivity at higher temperatures. The out-of-plane magnetoresistance (measured with the magnetic field parallel to the current) is negative, indicating a shrinking of the pseudogap in magnetic fields. Our experimental results are in good accordance with a recent model for the reduction of the quasiparticle density of states due to condensation of quasiparticles into superconducting fluctuations. Such a fluctuation-induced pseudogap is expected to be suppressed in high magnetic fields according to a reduction of the in-plane fluctuation amplitude.