Neurobiology of male sexual dysfunctions in psychiatric disorders: the cases of depression, anxiety, mania and schizophrenia

While the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders has become modestly elucidated in the last decade, comorbid sexual dysfunctions in such patients are frequently left apart from clinical and research interest. We aimed to address the malfunctioning neurocircuitry underlying sexual dysfunctions in depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and mania. We performed a comprehensive literature review, addressing any combination of the topics of “neurobiology”/“neural”, “sexual”/“desire”/“arousal”/“orgasm”/“ejaculation” and “depression”/“anxiety”/“schizophrenia”/“mania”/“bipolar”. Altered neurotransmitter levels or connectivity in patients are reported in sexual dysfunctions (either desire, arousal, orgasm and ejaculation) and main psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, mania and schizophrenia). Neuronal pathways responsible for the occurrence of sexual dysfunctions in psychiatric disorders can be  figured out by overlap  of their acknowledged pathophysiology. However, specific research in that group is scant, so future tailored studies are warranted to elucidate actual mechanisms.