Changes of cerebral current source by audiovisual erotic stimuli in premature ejaculation patients.
BACKGROUND
Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common forms of male sexual dysfunction. The mechanisms of PE remain poorly understood, despite its high prevalence.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pathophysiology and causes of PE in the central nervous system, we tried to observe the changes in brain current source distribution by audiovisual induction of sexual arousal.


METHODS
Electroencephalograpies were recorded in patients with PE (45.0 +/- 10.3 years old, N = 18) and in controls (45.6 +/- 9.8 years old, N = 18) during four 10-minute segments of resting, watching a music video excerpt, resting, and watching an erotic video excerpt. Five artifact-free 5-second segments were used to obtain cross-spectral low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) images.


METHODS
Statistical nonparametric maps (SnPM) were obtained to detect the current density changes of six frequency bands between the erotic video session and the music video session in each group. Comparisons were also made between the two groups in the erotic video session.


RESULTS
In the SnPM of each spectrum in patients with PE, the current source density of the alpha band was significantly reduced in the right precentral gyrus, the right insula, and both superior parietal lobules (P < 0.01). Comparing the two groups in the erotic video session, the current densities of the beta-2 and -3 bands in the PE group were significantly decreased in the right parahippocampal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Neuronal activity in the right precental gyrus, the right insula, both the superior parietal lobule, the right parahippocampal gyrus, and the left middle temporal gyrus may be decreased in PE patients upon sexual arousal. Further studies are needed to evaluate the meaning of decreased neuronal activities in PE patients.
Hyun
Jae-Seog
JS
Department of Urology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, South Korea.
Kam
Sung-Chul
SC
Kwon
Oh-Young
OY
D001143:Arousal; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014743:Videotape Recording