oxytocin and Sexual-Dysfunctions--Psychological

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is hypothesized to be a disorder of the brain's reward circuitry. Neurotransmitters in reward circuits are thus therapeutic targets for improving sexual desire. Novel treatment strategies are to enhance dopamine (DA) actions, reduce serotonin (5-HT) actions, or both.

Topics: Brain; Brain Mapping; Dopamine; Dopamine Agents; Emotions; Hormone Replacement Therapy; Humans; Libido; Melanocortins; Nerve Net; Oxytocin; Psychotropic Drugs; Serotonin; Serotonin Antagonists; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

Sexual desire is controlled by brain systems involved in sexual excitation and inhibition. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) may result from hypofunctional excitation, hyperfunctional inhibition, or some mix of the two.. This study aimed to identify neurochemical and neuroanatomical systems involved in sexual excitation and inhibition, their role during normal, and hypoactive sexual expressions.. A comprehensive review of the human and animal literature is made, and a theory surrounding the ways that HSDD can be manifested and treated is presented.. Drug effects and neural systems derived largely from rat studies that are involved in the stimulation of sexual desire (excitatory system) vs. the stimulation of sexual reward, sedation, and satiety (inhibitory system).. Brain dopamine systems (incertohypothalamic and mesolimbic) that link the hypothalamus and limbic system appear to form the core of the excitatory system. This system also includes melanocortins, oxytocin, and norepinephrine. Brain opioid, endocannabinoid, and serotonin systems are activated during periods of sexual inhibition, and blunt the ability of excitatory systems to be activated.. Drugs that stimulate the activation of hypothalamic dopamine or that blunt endocannabinoid or serotonin release and/or postsynaptic binding may be effective in stimulating sexual desire in animals and humans. The characterization of how those drugs work will help generate a rational approach to drug development in the treatment of HSDD.

Topics: Androgens; Animals; Brain; Copulation; Dopamine; Estrogens; Female; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Hypothalamus; Libido; Male; Norepinephrine; Oxytocin; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oxytocin; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

To study sexual function, quality of life, and depression in men, whose female partners are undergoing double-blind placebo-controlled randomized treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).. Open prospective cohort study of 22 weeks.. Academic medical center.. Male partners of 30 premenopausal and postmenopausal women with HSDD.. Baseline, 3-month, and 5-month assessment (for 8 weeks each) of male response to female partner's use of oxytocin nasal spray (32 IE) and placebo within 50 minutes before sexual intercourse.. Primary outcome parameters were Sexual Life Quality Questionnaire-Male, Sexual Activity Record, Partner Performance Questionnaire, and Hamilton Depression Scale.. Male Sexual Life Quality questionnaire improved significantly from -7.4 ± 9.9 at baseline to 8.2 ± 12 with female partners' treatment with oxytocin nasal spray and to 10.8 ± 13.8 with placebo. Frequency of intercourse improved slightly but not significantly from 6.3 ± 3.9 at baseline to 7.3 ± 4 with female oxytocin therapy, but not with placebo. Male desire and arousal remained stable throughout the study period. Evaluation of female partners' performance by men improved significantly from 8.9 ± 2.8 at baseline to 10.6 ± 2.2 with oxytocin and to 11.2 ± 2.6 with placebo.. Female treatment with either oxytocin or placebo for HSDD significantly improves male sexual quality of life and evaluation of female partner's sexual performance with no difference between oxytocin and placebo on any outcome parameters. A nonsignificant improvement was seen in the frequency of intercourse, male arousal, desire, satisfaction, and Hamilton depression scale.. NCT02229721.

Topics: Academic Medical Centers; Administration, Inhalation; Austria; Cross-Over Studies; Depression; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oxytocin; Prospective Studies; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Quality of Life; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Sexual Partners; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome

To assess the effect of on-demand intranasal oxytocin administration on female sexual function and activity.. Randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial with duration of 22 weeks.. Academic medical center.. Thirty pre-and postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.. Over 8 weeks, intranasal oxytocin (32 IU) or placebo self-administered by women within 50 minutes before sexual intercourse; after a washout period of 2 weeks, crossover with patients switched to the alternate group for another 8 weeks.. Primary outcome parameter: Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI); secondary outcome parameters: Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F), Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory-Female (SIDI-F), and Hamilton depression scale (HDS).. After oxytocin and placebo, the FSFI score increased by 26% and 31%, SQOL-F score by 144% and 125%, and SIDI-F score by 29% and 23%, respectively (repeated measures analysis of variance between groups). After oxytocin and placebo, the FSDS score decreased by 36% and 45%, respectively (repeated measures analysis of variance between groups). There was no statistically significant treatment, sequence (placebo first/second), or interaction effect.. Long-term intranasal oxytocin and placebo administration both improved sexual function and symptoms of depression in women over time with no treatment, sequence (placebo first/second), or interaction effect.. NCT02229721.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Adult; Aged; Austria; Cross-Over Studies; Depression; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Oxytocin; Postmenopause; Premenopause; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Oxytocin; Prospective Studies; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Sexual Partners

Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Oxytocin; Prospective Studies; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Sexual Partners

Women's health is seriously impacted by sexual dysfunction, mental depression, breast cancer, and gynecological cancers. Breast feeding has been found to reduce the risk of in-situ cervical cancer, endometrial cancer of the uterus, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. This protective effect of breast feeding supports the notion that another functional use of the breast, sexual breast stimulation, promoted by women to incite their sexual arousal and orgasm, is a practice which also reduces the risk of these same cancers, and protects against sexual dysfunction and mental depression. The significance of the practice of breast sex or "sexual breast love" lies with its deeply rooted past in the founding of our species, Homo sapiens. No other species exhibits breast sex, a human cultural activity that is implicated in women's desire, sexual satisfaction, and the development of human sociality. For species females as a whole, nipple stimulation by a partner during sex, over the adult life of a female, has occurred since the inception of H. sapiens, so that the failure to engage in this activity is counter to a species typical practice and endangers women's health. Breast sex results in nipple erection, and may micmic the effects of breast feeding, causing an increase of oxytocin in the body. Breast sex is an enriched type of sexuality that enables love between the sexes and the pair bond. The intimacy of breast sex creates a common ground of sexual knowledge, allowing empathy, cooperation, commitment, and communication. It induces reciprocity and therefore happiness. With breast sex, there is an increase of the positive emotions over the chimpanzees, promoting advanced cognition. Research into whether oxytocin release is caused by stimulation of the breasts in non-lactating women is inconclusive, but cultural studies demonstrate that breast stimulation induces sexual arousal, and research has shown that sexual arousal is associated with oxytocin release.

Topics: Animals; Anthropology; Breast Feeding; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Male; Oxytocin; Pan troglodytes; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Sexual Partners; Sexuality; Uterine Contraction; Uterus; Women's Health

A variety of sources indicate that oxytocin has beneficial effects on several components of sexuality. This is a case report on a male who had significant, broad-spectrum improvements in sexual function during a course of intranasal oxytocin treatment for social anxiety.. To document a case of diverse, salutary effects of oxytocin on sexual function.. The patient was in individual treatment for a variety of difficulties, including social avoidance and relational problems. A biopsychosocial evaluation ruled out medical conditions and substance-related issues as a cause of sexual difficulties. After obtaining informed consent, an off-label trial of intranasal oxytocin was administered targeting his social anxiety and relational avoidance.. Oxytocin positively impacted a number of components of sexual function, including libido, erection, and orgasm, and was well tolerated.. This is the first case we are aware of documenting broad-spectrum benefits of chronic intranasal oxytocin on male sexual function. Future trials of oxytocin for psychiatric indications should specifically monitor its effects on sexuality, and trials directly investigating oxytocin's impact on aspects of sexual function are warranted.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Adult; Humans; Libido; Male; Orgasm; Oxytocin; Penile Erection; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

Topics: Adult; Affect; Brain; Coitus; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Neurotransmitter Agents; Orgasm; Oxytocin; Quality of Life; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Treatment Outcome; Vagina; Vagus Nerve; Vagus Nerve Stimulation