The Psychopharmacology of Sex,Part 1
Neurotransmitters and the 3 Phases of the Human Sexual Response
Stephen M. Stahl, M.D., Ph.D.

The human sexual response is an often overlooked dimension of psychiatric disorders and is an important consideration in treatment with psychotropic drugs, especially antidepressants.^1,2 Clinicians as well as the literature tend to think of "sexual dysfunction" in a global sense rather than in terms of "sexual phase dysfunction" with unique neuropharmacologic mechanisms, unique impacts of disease on each phase, and in particular, unique actions of various drugs on the various phases of the sexual response. Here, we review a simplified formulation of the neuropharmacology of the normal human sexual response. Next month, we will review the actions of various drugs and diseases upon the normal human sexual response, not in global terms, but according to effects on each of the phases of sexual functioning.

References

1. Stahl SM. Essential Psychopharmacology. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press; 2000

2. Meston CM, Frohlich PF. The neurobiology of sexual function. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000;57:1012-1030

3. Stahl SM. Estrogen makes the brain a sex organ [Brainstorms]. J Clin Psychiatry 1997;58:421-422

4. Stahl SM. Sex therapy in psychiatric treatment has a new partner: reproductive hormones [Brainstorms]. J Clin Psychiatry 1997;58:468-469

5. Stahl SM. Brain fumes: yes, we have NO brain gas [Brainstorms]. J Clin Psychiatry 1998;59:6-7

6. Stahl SM. How psychiatrists can build new therapies for impotence [Brainstorms]. J Clin Psychiatry 1998;59:47-48

7. Stahl SM. Nitric oxide physiology and pharmacology [Brainstorms]. J Clin Psychiatry 1998;59:101-102