Sexual Dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction is difficulty during any stage of the sexual act that prevents the individual or couple from enjoying sexual activity.

What is Sexual Dysfunction?

Sexual dysfunction refers to any difficulty a person or couple are experiencing with the various aspects of sexual activity such as attraction, arousal, pleasure and orgasm. Sexual dysfunction can cause extreme distress and severely impact a person’s quality of life.

Sexual Dysfunction Causes

Sexual Dysfunction History

Types of Sexual Dysfunction

Study compares menopause symptom burden across different age groups

There has been a lot of discussion about how the age at menopause can affect menopause symptoms. A new study compared the prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms in women experiencing menopause around the average age of 51 years and those with premature ovarian insufficiency, showing similar symptom burden in the psychological and urogenital domains.

24 Jun 2026

NYU Langone hits milestone with its 1,000th focal cryotherapy procedure

Just two days after his minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment at NYU Langone Health, Broadway performer André De Shields, 80, was back onstage preparing for his next show, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, which debuted in April 2026.

5 Jun 2026

Fruit fly study links dopamine to stress-induced sexual dysfunction

Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have revealed key parts of the biochemical pathways connecting stress to sexual dysfunction.

30 May 2026

Study identifies breakthrough drug combination for early-stage Peyronie’s

Combining two widely prescribed drug classes could provide the first effective treatment for early-stage Peyronie's disease, according to a new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

15 May 2026

PSA tests detect 30 percent more cancers but may cause overtreatment

Blood tests to detect potential signs of prostate cancer likely reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer, an updated Cochrane review finds. This is a shift from the previous version of the review, which did not find sufficient evidence that screening reduced prostate cancer deaths.

15 May 2026

Visceral fat strongly linked to urinary incontinence in women

The accumulation of fat in the abdominal region, especially visceral fat (fat that accumulates between organs), significantly increases the risk of stress urinary incontinence in women.

17 Apr 2026

Human insight and AI advance prostate cancer treatment

Today, many men must choose between life-altering prostate removal or careful long-term monitoring. The EU-funded ROBIOSPY Project offers an intermediate option: precise needle-based diagnostics and targeted therapy powered by AI-driven robotics.

12 Feb 2026

New immunotherapy could replace daily pills after kidney transplantation

A new study offers hope that kidney transplant patients could one day have a monthly treatment instead of multiple pills every day.

3 Feb 2026

Digital therapy significantly improves sexual function in women

Sexual dysfunction is a reality for many women, but the subject remains taboo. A large percentage of women remain untreated, a problem that is exacerbated by the shortage of treatment options for female sexual dysfunction.

3 Feb 2026

Analyzing the role of smoking in viral recovery

COVID-19 brought about lasting changes that are still being felt today in the post-pandemic era, with one being the unprecedented side effect known as Long COVID.

27 Jan 2026

Study finds rising sex toy use and masturbation among older women

Although research on sexuality in older adults has been growing in recent years, most of the studies are focused on partnered sexual activity and not on solo sexual behavior, including masturbation or the use of sex toys.

26 Nov 2025

Beta-blockers offer no clinical benefit for myocardial infarction survivors with preserved cardiac function

A major analysis led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), in collaboration with international institutions, has pooled data from 17,801 myocardial infarction survivors with preserved cardiac function enrolled in five global clinical trials.

10 Nov 2025

Mediterranean-style diets improve pelvic floor function and sexual health, review finds

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies reveals that healthy, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean and DASH diets, are linked to improved sexual function and reduced incontinence symptoms in pelvic floor dysfunction. However, prospective evidence for incontinence improvement remains limited, suggesting that benefits may be mediated by metabolic and inflammatory pathways, especially in individuals with obesity or metabolic syndrome.

19 Oct 2025

Brain serotonin levels linked to sexual side effects from antidepressants

Researchers have discovered that the ability to have an erection or to orgasm is related to the levels of serotonin in the brain, but this relation only applies to depressed patients taking SSRI antidepressants.

13 Oct 2025

Study reveals how a key spinal circuit shapes the choreography of sex

For decades, it was thought that while the brain orchestrated male sexual behaviour – arousal, courtship, and copulation – the spinal cord merely executed the final act: ejaculation.

23 Sep 2025

REBOOT trial finds no benefit of beta blockers after uncomplicated heart attacks

Beta blockers-drugs commonly prescribed for a range of cardiac conditions, including heart attacks-provide no clinical benefit for patients who have had an uncomplicated myocardial infarction with preserved heart function.

30 Aug 2025

Most Americans unaware that early prostate cancer shows no symptoms

A recent survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) focused on Americans' awareness of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.

28 Aug 2025

New study highlights overlooked sexual health concerns in older women

Adults aged 65 years and older are becoming the fastest-growing demographic, yet, the sexual health of older women is often understudied and untreated.

13 Aug 2025

Study debunks "No Nut November" claims: Abstinence shows no health benefits or harms

A new study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that participating in “No Nut November”, a month-long abstinence challenge, had no measurable effect on sexual well-being. The only significant difference was that participants reported higher sexual flexibility, likely reflecting a pre-existing trait.

29 Jul 2025

Early-onset gastrointestinal cancer rates rising across the globe

A new paper in BJS, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that early-onset gastrointestinal cancer rates are rising dramatically across the globe.

8 Jul 2025