Sexual dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

Received 8 June 2007; received in revised form 23 October 2007; accepted 24 October 2007.

Abstract

Sexual dysfunction is one of the more disabling and poorly investigated aspects of PD. Several variables should be considered when evaluating sexual dysfunction in a disease in which physical, psychological, neurobiological and pharmacological features merge and are not easily distinguishable. Although sexual dysfunction is common in Parkinson's disease, the development of hypersexuality and aberrant sexual behaviour, probably due to dopamine replacement therapy, calls into question the role of dopamine in sexual behaviour. This paper reviews studies that have investigated sexual behaviour and dysfunction in PD patients, paying particular attention to the effect of dopamine replacement therapy.

Keywords: Sexual dysfuntion, Paraphilia, Sexual behaviour, Parkinson's disease

a Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Viale dell'Universita 30, 00185 Roma, Italy

b Centro di Ricerca di Medicina Sociale (C.I.M.S.), University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Italy

Corresponding author. Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Viale dell'Universita 30, 00185 Roma, Italy. Tel.: +39 06 4991 4706; fax: +39 06 4991 4840.

PII: S1353-8020(07)00246-5

doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2007.10.008

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