Mixing pleasures: Review of the effects of drugs on sex behavior in humans and animal models

Frohmader, Karla S.; Pitchers, Kyle K.; Balfour, Margaret E.; Coolen, Lique M.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.11.009

Cited by 106 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 189 publications

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“…Moreover, we administered a higher dose of methylphenidate (40 mg), which might lead to similar plasma levels as intravenous administration of a lower dose (20 mg) in the study of Volkow and colleagues (Volkow et al, 2007). Consistent with the present findings, other stimulants with similar dopaminergic action including cocaine and methamphetamine have been subjectively reported to increase sex drive as well (Rawson et al, 2002) and are commonly linked with risk-associated sexual behaviours (Frohmader et al, 2010;Rawson et al, 2002). Furthermore, abstinent cocaine users also rated explicit erotic pictures from the IAPS as more pleasant compared with users of alcohol or heroin (Aguilar de Arcos et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Another interview study found that ecstasy use seemed to increase sexual desire but not the ability to achieve an erection or orgasm (Theall et al, 2006;Zemishlany et al, 2001). Thus, MDMA mainly seems to enhance pleasure in touching and physical closeness rather than actual sexual engagement and is also reported to impair sexual performance (Frohmader et al, 2010;Passie et al, 2005;Theall et al, 2006;Zemishlany et al, 2001). Neurochemically, MDMA enhances 5-HT and NE and weakly also DA transmission (Hysek et al, 2012b) but additionally, MDMA also releases oxytocin and prolactin (Hysek et al, 2012a;Hysek et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Users of psychostimulants including cocaine and methamphetamine report increased sexual desire and arousal and enhanced sexual pleasure (Frohmader et al, 2010;Rawson et al, 2002;Semple et al, 2002). In contrast, ecstasy users described inconsistent effects of MDMA on sexual desire (McElrath, 2005;Passie et al, 2005;Theall et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While DA is thought to facilitate sexual drive, 5-HT is stated to inhibit sexual arousal and function (Fabre-Nys, 1998;Frohmader et al, 2010;Melis and Argiolas, 1995;Passie et al, 2005;Pfaus, 2009;Zemishlany et al, 2001). For example, dopaminergic antiparkinson therapy is associated with hypersexuality (Kelley et al, 2012;Uitti et al, 1989;Weintraub et al, 2010) whereas decreased libido and sexual dysfunction are common adverse effects of serotonergic antidepressants (Serretti and Chiesa, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships

Schmid

Hysek

Preller

et al. 2015

European Neuropsychopharmacology

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Methylphenidate mainly enhances dopamine neurotransmission whereas 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") mainly enhances serotonin neurotransmission. However, both drugs also induce a weaker increase of cerebral noradrenaline exerting sympathomimetic properties. Dopaminergic psychostimulants are reported to increase sexual drive, while serotonergic drugs typically impair sexual arousal and functions. Additionally, serotonin has also been shown to modulate cognitive perception of romantic relationships. Whether methylphenidate or MDMA alter sexual arousal or cognitive appraisal of intimate relationships is not known. Thus, we evaluated effects of methylphenidate (40mg) and MDMA (75mg) on subjective sexual arousal by viewing erotic pictures and on perception of romantic relationships of unknown couples in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study in 30 healthy adults. Methylphenidate, but not MDMA, increased ratings of sexual arousal for explicit sexual stimuli. The participants also sought to increase the presentation time of implicit sexual stimuli by button press after methylphenidate treatment compared with placebo. Plasma levels of testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone were not associated with sexual arousal ratings. Neither MDMA nor methylphenidate altered appraisal of romantic relationships of others. The findings indicate that pharmacological stimulation of dopaminergic but not of serotonergic neurotransmission enhances sexual drive. Whether sexual perception is altered in subjects misusing methylphenidate e.g., for cognitive enhancement or as treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is of high interest and warrants further investigation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships

Schmid

Hysek

Preller

et al. 2015

European Neuropsychopharmacology

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“…Human reports demonstrating Meth use as a predictor of sexual risk behaviors are based on self-reports from chronic Meth users that lack a reliable measurement for the relationship between Meth use and sexual behavior (Frohmader et al, 2010b). Thus, an investigation into Meth-induced changes in sexual behavior under controlled experimental settings using an animal model is required to understand the complex association between Meth and sexual behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concurrent Exposure to Methamphetamine and Sexual Behavior Enhances Subsequent Drug Reward and Causes Compulsive Sexual Behavior in Male Rats

Frohmader¹,

Lehman²,

Laviolette³

et al. 2011

J. Neurosci.

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Methamphetamine (Meth) users report having heightened sexual pleasure, numerous sexual partners, and engaging in unprotected sex due to loss of inhibitory control. This compulsive sexual behavior contributes to increased prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, but the neural basis for this is unknown. We previously established a paradigm for compulsive sexual behavior in male rats in which visceral illness induced by lithium chloride was paired with sexual behavior (

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Experimental Methods for Understanding the Role of Social Context in Drug Addiction

Kirkpatrick

Wardle

2013

The Wiley‐Blackwell Handbook of Addiction Psychopharmacology

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Mixing pleasures: Review of the effects of drugs on sex behavior in humans and animal models

Cited by 106 publications

References 189 publications

Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships

Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships

Concurrent Exposure to Methamphetamine and Sexual Behavior Enhances Subsequent Drug Reward and Causes Compulsive Sexual Behavior in Male Rats

Experimental Methods for Understanding the Role of Social Context in Drug Addiction

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