title: Bringing sex research into the 21st century: genetic and epigenetic approaches on female sexual function.
abstract: Behavioral genetic evidence offers a useful way to disentangle some of the multifactorial etiological pathways toward the now clearly multidimensional construct of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and has already shown its potential in providing a better understanding of the heterogeneous factors underlying FSD. Understanding the genetic basis and therefore physiologic key mechanisms of sexual function and dysfunction has the potential for improved treatments (i.e., the development of new medication) and ultimately prevention. However, genetic epidemiologic research into FSD is scarce and highlights the need for more in-depth exploration using larger samples and more accurate phenotypes. Knowledge gained from genetic studies also highlights the importance of environmental factors and gene-environment interactions in disease development and maintenance. Exploration of DNA epigenetic patterns that regulate gene expression profiles could therefore provide the missing link between epigenomic state and FSD, and as such may offer a new biological framework for the multifactorial pathoetiology underlying FSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College, London. a.burri@psychologie.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burri
mesh_terms: D057890:Epigenomics / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history