Understanding and diagnosing sexual dysfunction: Recent progress through psychophysiological and psychophysical methods

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 201 - 209
• Main Authors: Rowland, David L., Slob, A.K.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Erection; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Penile sensitivity; Premature ejaculation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychophysics; Psychophysiology; Sexual behavior disorders. Psychogenic sexual dysfunctions; Sexual dysfunction; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - diagnosis; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - physiopathology; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - psychology; Sexual response; Premature ejaculation; Erection; Sexual dysfunction; Men; Penile sensitivity; Psychophysics; Psychophysiology; Sexual response; Human; Affect affectivity; Sexual behavior disorder; Methodology; Erection disorders; Emotion emotionality; Review; Diagnosis; Ejaculatio precox; Age
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/0149-7634(94)00061-5

The psychophysiological method has been applied to the study of human sexual response for well over three decades. The value of this method in providing an objective, integrated approach to the understanding of sexual response, and more specifically sexual dysfunction, is presented. Selected results from recent studies using this methodology illustrate the complex relationships that emerge among cognitive, affective, and physiological components of the sexual response. In addition, data from a systematic study of the use of psychophysiological procedures as an aid in differential diagnosis are given as evidence that this methodology offers a further strategy for assessing problems such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Finally, recent findings utilizing sensory psychophysical procedures which relate subjective penile thresholds to sexual response and dysfunction are reviewed. Such procedures also study the interaction of physical/physiological systems with psychological events, and as such may be considered relevant to understanding the relationship between psychological and physiological aspects of sexual response.