Tag: sexual dysfunction

Categories : AgeingTags :

Low Sexual Satisfaction in Middle Age Linked to Cognitive Decline

On By ModernMedia
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Low sexual satisfaction in middle age may serve as an early warning sign for future cognitive decline, according to a new study. The researchers, who tracked associations between erectile function, sexual satisfaction and cognition in hundreds of men aged 56 through 68, found that declines in sexual satisfaction and erectile function were correlated with future memory loss.

The study, published in Gerontologist, is the first to longitudinally track sexual satisfaction in tandem with sexual health and cognition, the researchers state, and its findings point to a potential novel risk factor for cognitive decline.

“What was unique about our approach is that we measured memory function and sexual function at each point in the longitudinal study, so we could look at how they changed together over time,” said Martin Sliwinski, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and co-author on the study. “What we found connects to what scientists are beginning to understand about the link between life satisfaction and cognitive performance.”

The study explored the relationship between physical changes like the microvascular changes relevant for erectile function, and psychological changes, such as lower sexual satisfaction, to determine how the changes relate to cognition. They examined the shifts starting in middle age because it represents a transition period where declines in erectile function, cognition and sexual satisfaction begin to emerge.

Sliwinski added that while the team discovered a strong correlation between the three health factors, they can only speculate as to the cause.

“Scientists have found that if you have low satisfaction generally, you are at a higher risk for health problems like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and other stress-related issues that can lead to cognitive decline,” he said. “Improvements in sexual satisfaction may actually spark improvement in memory function. We tell people they should get more exercise and eat better foods. We’re showing that sexual satisfaction also has importance for our health and general quality of life.”

For the study, the researchers used survey data from 818 men who participated in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. Through neuropsychological tests, such as tests of memory and processing speed, they examined cognitive changes of participants over the 12-year span from age 56 to 68, adjusting for participants’ cognitive ability in young adulthood. Their erectile function and sexual satisfaction were measured alongside cognition, using the International Index of Erectile Function, a self-reported assessment for male sexual health. The researchers then built a statistical model to understand how the three variables changed as individuals aged.

“Research on sexual health has historically focused on quantifiable facets of sexuality like number of sexual partners or frequency of sexual activity,” said Riki Slayday, a doctoral candidate at Penn State and lead author on the study. “What we were interested in is the perception of that activity, how someone feels about their sex life, and how that influences cognitive function, because multiple people could be in the same situation physically but experience completely different levels of satisfaction.”

The study found that decreases in erectile function and sexual satisfaction were both associated with memory decline, which the researchers say points to a connection between psychological and physical health.

“When we mapped the relationship over time, we found increases or decreases in erectile function and sexual satisfaction were associated with concurrent increases or decreases in cognitive function,” Slayday said. “These associations survived adjustment for demographic and health factors, which tells us there is a clear connection between our sex lives and our cognition.”

Prior studies have found a link between microvascular changes and changes in erectile function over time. In fact, the active ingredient in Viagra (Sildenafil) was originally developed to treat cardiovascular problems, Sliwinski explained, so the connection between vascular health and erectile function is well understood. How erectile function connects to other aspects of health should be an area of focus for future research, he added.

Increasing the assessment and monitoring of erectile function as a vital sign of health may help identify those at risk of cognitive decline before their 70s, he said. The researchers note that the older adult population in the US is expected to double over the next 30 years, which means twice as many people will likely enter their 60s and experience declines in erectile function and sexual satisfaction.

“We already have a pill for treating erectile dysfunction. What we don’t have is an effective treatment for memory loss,” Sliwinski said. “Instead of the conversation being about treating ED, we should see that as a leading indicator for other health problems and also focus on improving sexual satisfaction and overall well-being, not just treating the symptom.”

Source: Penn State University

Categories : UrogenitalTags :

Vibrator Use Improves Sexual and Urinary Outcomes

On By ModernMedia
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Studies have demonstrated positive effects of vibrator use on a number of sexual and urinary outcomes in women, according to a review of published literature presented at at the American Urological Association annual meeting.

Though limited in number, the studies induced favourable changes in blood flow and muscle tone of genital tissues, improved multiple aspects of sexual arousal and satisfaction, increased orgasmic response, and decreased sexual distress. In women with pelvic floor dysfunction, vibrator use was associated with decreased urine leakage and urinary symptoms and significantly improved pelvic muscle strength. Vibrator use also decreased pain and improved sexual enjoyment in women with vulvodynia.

“Medical providers, especially gynaecologists, urologists, and FPMRS [female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery specialists] need more education on women’s sexual health and vibrators,” said Alexandra Dubinskaya, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “We need to remove the stigma from vibrators and I do believe this soon will be possible as we are now normalising discussion about women’s sexual health.”

Vibrators should be viewed as another form of technology that can be applied to benefit patients in clinical practice, said Rachel S. Rubin, MD, of Georgetown University in Washington.

“I believe we use technology to make our lives better in almost every way … and the bedroom should not be absent of technology,” she said. “Sex tech is incredible now, from what it used to be. It’s no longer just the seedy stores with newspaper over the windows, but really high-end wonderful devices for couples for all genders. There are so many health benefits to these devices.”

“I believe that if we get male partners interested in devices in the bedroom, everyone’s sexual health will improve,” she stated.

According to Dr Dubiskaya, therapeutic vibratory stimulation has its origin in the now-disproven condition known as female hysteria, associated with excessive emotions and thought to be related to marital relationships, orgasm, and pregnancy. Practitioners were said to have to turned to vibrators to relieve hysteria by stimulating the female patients to orgasms, referred to as “paroxysms”, and turned to vibrators when the practice started to take a toll on their hands and wrists. It’s a now-familiar idea that was popularised by Rachel Maines in her 1998 book “The Technology of Orgasm”, which even inspired a movie.

However, there is no actual evidence in support of this supposed practice as Dubisankya claims. Hallie Lieberman and Eric Schatzberg, the chair of the School of History and Sociology at Georgia Tech, were some of the few who actually bothered to check Maines’s 465 citations. “Maines fails to cite a single source that openly describes use of the vibrator to massage the clitoral area,” they wrote in a contentious paper. “None of her English-language sources even mentions production of ‘paroxysms’ by massage or anything else that could remotely suggest an orgasm.”

Nevertheless, vibrator use is now widespread despite its seedy reputation it had acquired in modern times. In a survey conducted over a decade ago, a majority of women and more than 40% of men reported the use of a vibrator at some point in their lives.

To assess the evidence supporting vibrators’ medical benefits in women, the researchers conducted a systematic literature review, focusing on studies related to sexual health, pelvic floor function, and vulvar health. They found 21 meeting the inclusion criteria, 11 of which were studies of female sexual dysfunction, nine on pelvic floor dysfunction, and one on vulvodynia.

The sexual dysfunction studies showed that vibratory stimulation facilitated vasodilation and blood flow, improved tissue perfusion and metabolism, decreased muscle tone, and increased relaxation. Clinically, use of vibrators was found to be associated with improvement in the Female Sexual Function Index score, as well as increased arousal, orgasm, and genital sensation.

Patients who used vibrators reported increased sexual desire, satisfaction, and overall sexual function, as well as reduced time to orgasm, achievement of multiple orgasms, and reduced distress.

The pelvic floor dysfunction studies showed that vibratory stimulation was linked to a reduction in use of hygienic pads among women with stress urinary incontinence and urine leakage, as well as urinary symptoms. There was improvement in pelvic-floor muscle tone, QoL and patient satisfaction with the treatment.

The vulvodynia study focused on vibratory stimulation for relief of pain and associated symptoms. Dr Dubinskaya said that after 4 to 6 weeks of vibrator use, women reported antinociceptive and desensitising effects, reduced pain, and increased sexual enjoyment. More than 80% of the study participants expressed satisfaction with the treatment, and 90% said they were comfortable with their doctor offering a vibrator as a form of therapy.

Dr Dubisankya is recruiting for a clinical trial to identify which conditions can be most effectively treated with vibrator use.

Source: MedPage Today