Corpus cavernosum electromyography during morning naps in healthy volunteers: further evidence that corpus cavernosum potentials reflect sympathetically mediated activity.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the practicability of corpus cavernosum (CC) electromyography (EMG) in volunteers during morning naps in the laboratory and further validated this method.


METHODS
A total of 11 healthy volunteers with a mean age of 23.8 years (range 19 to 31) were included. CC-EMG was started between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. Two surface electrodes were placed at the base of the penis bilaterally and a reference electrode was placed on 1 kneecap. A strain gauge or Barlow gauge (Behavioral Technology, Salt Lake City, Utah) was used to monitor changes in penile circumference. Subjects were asked to sleep. Recording duration was 2 to 3 hours. Two recordings were performed per subject.


RESULTS
Full erection was observed on 17 of the 22 recordings (77%), partial erection was noted on 3 (14%) and no tumescence was observed on the other 2 (9%). CC potentials consistently disappeared during tumescence and erection, while continuous CC potential oscillations reappeared during detumescence. During flaccidity bursts of CC potentials and electrical silence were recorded. Penile shrinkage was observed to accompany CC potentials but not to accompany electrical silence.


CONCLUSIONS
CC-EMG during morning naps is a practical and valid method for investigating CC electrophysiology. CC-EMG signal patterns during tumescence, detumescence and flaccidity fit the existing theory that CC potentials reflect cavernous smooth muscle sympathetically mediated activity.
Jiang
Xiaogang
X
Department of Urology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Meuleman
Eric J H
EJ
Wijkstra
Hessel
H
Wagner
Gorm
G
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012890:Sleep; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*