Sexual arousal disorder

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sexual arousal disorder is characterized by a lack or absence of

DSM-IV.[1] The condition should not be confused with a sexual desire disorder
.

The term is often used in the diagnosis of women (female sexual arousal disorder), while the term erectile dysfunction (ED) is often used for men.

Signs and symptoms

In women, the

symptoms
of the disorder include:

However, whether lack of physiological arousal is a reliable symptom of the disorder is questionable. Research has shown that women with arousal deficits and women without arousal deficits show equivalent increases in physiological response during experience of

erotic stimuli.[2][3]

Causes

Contrary to popular belief, the disorder is not always caused from a lack of sexual arousal. Possible causes of the disorder include

trust; medical factors, such as depleted hormones, reduced regional blood flow, and nerve damage; and drug use
. The lack of sexual arousal may be due to a general lack of sexual desire or due to a lack of sexual desire for the current partner (i.e., situational). A person may always have had no or low sexual desire or the lack of desire may have been acquired during the person's life.

Certain medications like

SSRIs may contribute to a loss of sexual arousal, either while taking the medication or during withdrawal. In seemingly rare cases, SSRIs have been reported to cause an reduction in sexual arousal that last months or years after discontinuation, a condition termed post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD)
.

Diagnosis

A psychologist will first consider any psychological or emotional problems; while a sex therapist will examine relationship issues; after which a medical doctor will investigate medical causes for the disorder. In order to receive this diagnosis, a woman must, for at least 6 months, report at least 3 of the following symptoms: absent or significantly reduced interest in sexual activity, in sexual or erotic thoughts or fantasies, in initiation of sex or receptiveness to sex, in excitement or pleasure in most sexual encounters, in sexual responsiveness to erotic cues, or in genital or non-genital responses to sexual activity. This can be either lifelong or acquired.[4]

Treatment

Depending on the cause of the disorder,

Viagra
, may be appropriate.

Bremelanotide (formerly PT-141) is being studied in clinical tests to increase sexual desire in women. In 2014, Palatin, the company developing the drug, announced the beginning of a Phase 3 clinical trial to determine its effectiveness.[5]

Vibrators have also been found to be effective at addressing sexual arousal disorder.[6] Sometimes described as a massager, the vibrator is used on the body to produce sexual stimulation. Examples of FDA registered vibrators for sexual arousal disorder include MysteryVibe's Crescendo.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association 1994
  2. PMID 7189397
    .
  3. PMID 18410301
    .
  4. ^ Hoeksema, S. (2007). Abnormal psychology (4th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
  5. ^ "Palatin Announces Start of Bremelanotide Phase 3 Program For Female Sexual Dysfunction" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  6. ^
    doi:10.1093/jsxmed/qdad062.038. Archived
    from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  7. ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 18 July 2023.

See also
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