Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Enav Friedmann, Julie Cwikel
Summary: This study explored the differences between men and women in their perceptions of the factors affecting women's sexual desire and the appropriate avenues for treatment. The results showed that women value interpersonal issues and physical attraction more, while men prioritize physical attraction and daily hassles as significant predictors of women's sexual desire. Additionally, women are more likely to endorse psychological help as a more appropriate treatment for HSDD.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Patricia Koochaki, Dennis Revicki, Hilary Wilson, Robin Pokrzywinski, Robert Jordan, Johna Lucas, Laura A. Williams, Amama Sadiq, Julie Krop
Summary: The study showed that bremelanotide significantly improves sexual desire and related distress in women with HSDD, enhancing the quality of sexual activities and communication in partner relationships. In comparison, the placebo mainly helps in seeking treatment actively and improving communication with partners without involving improvements in physiological responses.
JOURNAL OF WOMENS HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Adam J. Walker, Yesul Kim, Igor Borissiouk, Rodolfo Rehder, Seetal Dodd, Gerwyn Morris, Andrew A. Nierenberg, Michael Maes, Brisa S. Fernandes, Olivia M. Dean, Lana J. Williams, Harris A. Eyre, Sung-Wan Kim, Sophia Zoungas, Andre F. Carvalho, Michael Berk
Summary: Statins, known for their lipid-lowering and cardiovascular benefits, may also have therapeutic potential in mood disorders due to their anti-inflammatory properties. However, the specific mechanisms of action in mood disorders and optimal dosing remain unclear, highlighting the need for further research and clinical trials.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Nursing
Jessica A. Pettigrew, Andrew M. Novick
Summary: Nearly half of women in the United States report sexual function problems, with many health care providers not asking about sexual concerns during routine clinical encounters due to various reasons. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most commonly identified sexual problem among women, characterized by a deficiency of sexual thoughts, feelings, or receptiveness to sexual stimulation. Multiple hormones and neurotransmitters likely play a role in the physiology of HSDD, and validated screening tools are discussed for assessment and diagnosis.
JOURNAL OF MIDWIFERY & WOMENS HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
James A. Simon, Amod Athavale, Rahul Ravindranath, Nandini Hadker, Amama Sadiq, Michelle Lim-Watson, Laura Williams, Julie Krop
Summary: Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) has a negative impact on patients' mental health, especially among premenopausal women. However, this disorder is often neglected or left untreated.
JOURNAL OF WOMENS HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Glen I. Spielmans
Summary: The study found that bremelanotide had modest benefits for treating hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, but participants significantly preferred placebo. Kingsberg et al.'s data reporting and measurement practices were incomplete and lacked transparency.
JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christian P. Mueller, Gunter Schumann, Jurgen Rehm, Johannes Kornhuber, Bernd Lenz
Summary: Self-management includes behavioral measures and cognitive activities aimed at coping with challenges throughout the lifespan. Alcohol consumption has been used as a tool to support coping with specific problems during adolescence, adulthood, and aging. This systematic review provides evidence of non-addictive alcohol use for self-managing developmental issues and psychiatric symptoms, as well as the neuropharmacological effects of alcohol. Adverse effects and risks associated with alcohol use for self-management are discussed, and a new perspective is suggested to implement harm-controlled self-management with alcohol.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Theo Lerner, Vicente Renato Bagnoli, Elsa Aida Gay de Pereyra, Lucivanda Pontes Fonteles, Isabel Cristina Esposito Sorpreso, Jose Maria Soares Jr, Edmund Chada Baracat
Summary: Group CBT has been shown to be effective in treating Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), with significant improvement in sexual function observed in women undergoing therapy.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Charlene F. Belu, Serena Corsini-Munt, Justin P. Dube, Grace A. Wang, Natalie O. Rosen
Summary: This study found that partner responses to low desire in men with HSDD are associated with sexual satisfaction and distress for both members of the couple. When men perceived more facilitative partner responses, they and their partners reported greater sexual satisfaction. However, when men perceived more negative or avoidant partner responses, they and their partners reported lower sexual satisfaction. Additionally, when men perceived more avoidant partner responses, their partners reported greater sexual distress.
JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Glen I. Spielmans, Elaine M. Ellefson
Summary: The validity of efficacy measures for treating hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women from the phase III (RECONNECT) bremelanotide trials was examined. The results show questionable validity of continuous efficacy measures, including Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Desire/Arousal/Orgasm (FSDS-DAO), and their respective domains. Previously published categorical treatment response outcomes also lack validity evidence. Unpublished efficacy results were analyzed, showing small effect sizes. Modest apparent benefits were observed for some outcomes, but most were likely derived post-hoc. Overall, bremelanotide's benefits are statistically modest and limited to outcomes with scant validity evidence among women with HSDD.
JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Erin Mcclung, Natalie O. Rosen, Justin P. Dube, Grace A. Wang, Serena Corsini-Munt
Summary: Men with HSDD who engage in sex for autonomous reasons report higher sexual satisfaction and intimacy, while those who engage in sex for controlled reasons experience lower satisfaction and intimacy. Promoting autonomous sexual motivation and reducing controlled motivation can help couples with HSDD feel closer, more sexually satisfied, and less sexually distressed.
ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sarah Cipriani, Chiara Alfaroli, Elisa Maseroli, Linda Vignozzi
Summary: Female sexual response is influenced by both psychosocial and neurobiological factors. Melanocortin signaling plays a role in enhancing sexual desire. Bremelanotide, a melanocortin receptor agonist, has been suggested to activate excitatory brain pathways in premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). This article summarizes the proposed mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety data of bremelanotide based on clinical trials. The results show that bremelanotide is moderately safe and well-tolerated, with the most common side effect being nausea. While there was a significant change in validated questionnaires, the overall clinical benefit seems to be modest.
EXPERT OPINION ON PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lan Luo, Jingjing Huang, Huafang Li
Summary: An online survey was conducted to investigate the correlates of Chinese women's unwillingness to communicate sexual health, the shame of sexual health-related disorders, sexual distress, and hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Factors such as age, knowledge about sexual health, work pressure, and economic conditions were found to influence women's psychological barriers to sexual health and related disorders. It is important to focus on providing sexual health education and services to women with older age, insufficient knowledge, intense work pressure, and poor economic conditions.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Erica Bell, Phil Boyce, Richard J. Porter, Richard A. Bryant, Gin S. Malhi
Summary: Irritability is a common experience in both health and disease, particularly in the context of psychiatric illnesses where it is a transdiagnostic phenomenon. Despite its prevalence in mood disorders, irritability remains poorly understood and shows differences in neurobiological and neurochemical aspects between children, adolescents, and adults. Accurate definition and assessment of irritability are crucial for advancing understanding and treatment, as subjective experiences of irritability play a significant role in both health and illness.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Guanjian Li, Weiran Li, Bing Song, Chao Wang, Qunshan Shen, Bo Li, Dongdong Tang, Chuan Xu, Hao Geng, Yang Gao, Guanxiong Wang, Huan Wu, Zhiguo Zhang, Xiaofeng Xu, Ping Zhou, Zhaolian Wei, Xiaojin He, Yunxia Cao
Summary: This study investigated the differences in gut microbiota and fecal metabolites between women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and healthy controls, identifying significant disparities in microbial and metabolic signatures. These findings offer new insights for potentially influencing sexual desire by modifying gut microbiota.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
James G. Pfaus, Amama Sadiq, Carl Spana, Anita H. Clayton
Summary: Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a common female sexual dysfunction associated with an imbalance of hormone and neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Current treatments include psychotherapy and medications that act by activating presynaptic MC4Rs to increase release of the excitatory neurotransmitter DA, affecting female sexual desire.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Hohle, Kim van Rooij, Jos Bloemers, James G. Pfaus, Frits Michiels, Paddy Janssen, Eric Claassen, Adriaan Tuiten
Summary: Phenotype Prediction Scores (PPS) can effectively predict the efficacy of drug treatments in small samples by filtering SNPs to obtain stable risk alleles for predicting the treatment outcomes of FSIAD patients.
Review
Neurosciences
Renata Androvicova, James G. Pfaus, Saak Ovsepian
Summary: Gonadal steroids, especially estrogen, have been shown to play a protective role in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease by modulating synaptic transmission and plasticity mechanisms. Despite the evidence supporting their protective effects, there are still many unanswered questions calling for further research.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Marcos Garcia-Juarez, Ailyn Luna-Hernandez, Sandra Tapia-Hernandez, Omar Montes-Narvaez, Raymundo Dominguez-Ordonez, Miriam B. Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran, James G. Pfaus, Oscar Gonzalez-Flores
Summary: This study investigated the effect of apelin-13 on different brain areas at varying doses, and found that it can induce lordosis behavior, with a more pronounced effect in the VMH of EB-primed rats, and only the 0.75 μg infusion of apelin in the POA induced significant lordosis at 120 and 240 min.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
James G. Pfaus, Karolin Tsarski
Summary: This case report describes a woman who, after tantric training, developed the ability to achieve and control the duration of a subjective orgasmic state without genital stimulation. The study found that prolactin levels increased after non-genitally stimulated orgasms, similar to genitally stimulated orgasms. These findings suggest that non-genital stimulation can induce the same physiological changes as genital stimulation.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Genaro A. Coria-Avila, James G. Pfaus, Agustin Orihuela, Adriana Dominguez-Oliva, Nancy Jose-Perez, Laura Astrid Hernandez, Daniel Mota-Rojas
Summary: Animal welfare is the result of meeting animals' physiological and psychological needs, allowing them to be free from hunger, discomfort, pain, fear, and distress. Understanding the neurobiology of behavior and well-being can help us achieve better animal welfare by ensuring animals' basic needs are met and their innate and learned responses are considered.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gonzalo R. Quintana, Conall E. Mac Cionnaith, James G. Pfaus
Summary: This article reviews evidence from studies on laboratory species and humans, discussing sexually conditioned preferences in males and females for place, partner, and ejaculatory cues, as well as the underlying neurochemical, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms. The findings suggest that opioid transmission at mu opioid receptors plays a role in sexual pleasure and reward, leading to activation of dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin systems responsible for attention, arousal, and bonding. First experiences with sexual reward imprint partner- or object-related cues into idiosyncratic types that are found sexually attractive and arousing. These mechanisms link reward and reproduction, maintaining variability within a species.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Oscar Gonzalez-Flores, James G. Pfaus, Ailyn Luna-Hernandez, Omar Montes-Narvaez, Raymundo Dominguez-Ordonez, Miriam B. Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran, Marcos Garcia-Juarez
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that the Kiss and MCH pathways regulate female sexual behavior induced by steroid hormones. The results showed that the administration of Kiss inhibitor and MCH significantly reduced lordosis behavior induced by hormonal stimulation, supporting the hypothesis.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy J. Wells, Lucie Krejcova, Jakub Binter, James G. Pfaus, Rachel R. Horsley
Summary: Reward based learning is considered to be fundamental in the development and maintenance of addictive behavior. This study aims to investigate the impact of conditioned Pavlovian stimulus on sexual compulsivity. The results showed that individuals with high online sexual behavior (OSB) had stronger responses to reward stimuli, but the difference compared to low OSB individuals was not significant. High OSB was negatively correlated with inhibitory control and reward sensitivity. Further research should explore the effects of aversive conditioning on high OSB individuals.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shann Menard, Helene Gelez, Genaro A. Coria-Avila, James G. Pfaus
Summary: Oxytocin and vasopressin are principal neurochemical substrates of bonding in monogamous species. Conditioning of sexual partner preference activates oxytocin and vasopressin neurons in the hypothalamus, and alters receptor densities. Sexual experience alone increases oxytocin receptor densities in certain brain regions, suggesting its role in the processing of sex-related cues.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Vasilios Pallikaras, Conall E. Mac E. Cionnaith, Vanessa C. Fernandez Rosales, Andreas Arvanitogiannis, James G. Pfaus
Summary: The study found that exposure to rewards can alter behavioral reactivity to them, and rewards can cross-sensitize each other. In adult male rats, single and repeated pre-exposure to methylphenidate (MPH) or sex had different effects on locomotor activation and sexual performance. Pre-exposure to MPH increased the amount of sexual stimulation needed to achieve ejaculation.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
James G. Pfaus
Summary: This article examines the spread of cancel culture related to sex and gender controversies in North America, which is seen as a part of a larger movement to politicize sex research findings and narratives. It discusses how this binary perspective is used by academic administrators and empowered individuals or groups to reward or punish scholars for their viewpoints, leading to potential damage to their careers. The article highlights the fear among academic administrators of harming the university's brand reputation.
ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
James G. Pfaus, Adam Safron, Ellen Zakreski
Summary: Synchronous behaviors between individuals are nonverbal signs of closeness and common purpose. They are mediated by neural systems for sexual motivation and recognition of common movements. Behavioral synchrony is vital to relationship formation and satisfaction, while asynchrony can lead to discontent and jealousy. Observing patterns of nonverbal sexual and romantic synchrony can offer insights into the potential quality of relationships.
SEXUAL MEDICINE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
James G. Pfaus, Radu A. Antonie, Peter I. Dosa, Suck Won Kim
Summary: This study examined the effects of Cabergoline (CAB) and its derivative Dimethylcabergoline (DMC) on the sexual behaviors of male rats. Both CAB and DMC were found to facilitate ejaculations, with CAB also promoting anticipatory sexual motivation and intromissions.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
James G. Pfaus
Summary: This article reviews the history of pharmacotherapy for sexual desire disorders, highlighting the political debate between clinical psychologists, sexologists, sociologists, and sexual medicine and uro-gyn communities. It also discusses the current climate for further development of pharmacotherapies and their promise as adjuncts to sex therapy for HSDD.
CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS
(2022)