Sexual Health Interventions in Parkinson's Disease
Summary
Sexual dysfunction is a common non-motor feature of Parkinson’s disease that profoundly affects quality of life, emotional well-being and intimate partnerships. Its aetiology is multifactorial, involving central dopaminergic deficits, hormonal imbalances, psychological distress and autonomic dysfunction. Interventions range from pharmacological strategies—such as optimising dopaminergic therapy or hormone replacement—to psychosexual counselling, structured screening tools and caregiver support. Emerging approaches include imaging-guided personalization of therapy and psycho-endocrinological assessment to identify specific drivers of dysfunction. A holistic model incorporates routine evaluation of sexual health within movement-disorder clinics, education for patients and partners, and multidisciplinary collaboration among neurologists, endocrinologists, urologists and mental-health professionals.
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Sexual Health Interventions in Parkinson's Disease publication trend
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Technical terms
Sexual dysfunction (SD): Impairments in desire, arousal or performance that adversely affect sexual activity.
Erectile dysfunction (ED): The inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse.
Libido: An individual’s innate drive or desire for sexual activity.
Dopamine transporter imaging: A neuroimaging technique that visualises dopamine neuron integrity to inform personalised therapy.
Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS): A clinical instrument used to quantify non-motor manifestations of Parkinson’s disease, including sexual concerns.
References
- Presynaptic dopaminergic terminal imaging and non-motor symptoms assessment of Parkinson’s disease: evidence for dopaminergic basis?. npj Parkinson's Disease (2017).
- Sexual Dysfunctions in Parkinson’s Disease and Their Influence on Partnership—Data of the PRISM Study. Brain Sciences (2022).
- Sexual dysfunction in a sample of Egyptian patients with Parkinson’s disease. Neurological Sciences (2023).
- Striatal dopamine transporter imaging in Parkinson’s disease drug-naïve patients: focus on sexual dysfunction. Neurological Sciences (2022).
- Sexual Dysfunctions in Females with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study with a Psycho-Endocrinological Perspective. Medicina (2023).
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