Graf Heiko, Malejko Kathrin, Metzger Coraline Danielle, Walter Martin, Grön Georg, Abler Birgit
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Ulm University, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
J Clin Med. 2019 Mar 14;8(3):363. doi: 10.3390/jcm8030363.
Human sexual behavior is mediated by a complex interplay of cerebral and spinal centers, as well as hormonal, peripheral, and autonomic functions. Neuroimaging studies identified central neural signatures of human sexual responses comprising neural emotional, motivational, autonomic, and cognitive components. However, empirical evidence regarding the neuromodulation of these neural signatures of human sexual responses was scarce for decades. Pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a valuable tool to examine the interaction between neuromodulator systems and functional network anatomy relevant for human sexual behavior. In addition, this approach enables the examination of potential neural mechanisms regarding treatment-related sexual dysfunction under psychopharmacological agents. In this article, we introduce common neurobiological concepts regarding cerebral sexual responses based on neuroimaging findings and we discuss challenges and findings regarding investigating the neuromodulation of neural sexual stimulus processing. In particular, we summarize findings from our research program investigating how neural correlates of sexual stimulus processing are modulated by serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic antidepressant medication in healthy males.
人类性行为由大脑和脊髓中枢以及激素、外周和自主神经功能之间复杂的相互作用介导。神经影像学研究确定了人类性反应的中枢神经特征，包括神经情感、动机、自主神经和认知成分。然而，几十年来，关于这些人类性反应神经特征的神经调节的实证证据很少。药理功能磁共振成像（fMRI）为研究神经调节系统与人类性行为相关的功能网络解剖结构之间的相互作用提供了一个有价值的工具。此外，这种方法能够研究心理药物治疗下与治疗相关的性功能障碍的潜在神经机制。在本文中，我们基于神经影像学研究结果介绍了关于大脑性反应的常见神经生物学概念，并讨论了研究神经对性刺激处理的神经调节方面的挑战和研究结果。特别是，我们总结了我们研究项目的结果，该项目研究了健康男性中血清素能、多巴胺能和去甲肾上腺素能抗抑郁药物如何调节性刺激处理的神经相关性。
