Modern, couple-oriented treatment for male sexual dysfunction takes the psychosocial aspects of sex into account, as well as focussing on the purely physical aspects of the problem. The importance of this biopsychosocial approach, whether one looks at disorders of desire, arousal or orgasm, is supported by intercultural comparisons, among other data. But sexual dysfunction can also arise as a consequence of a variety of diseases and their treatments, such as depression or diabetes, or can even be an early warning sign of serious physical illness such as heart disease. Hence an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on both medical and psychological techniques and insights, is essential. [continue reading…]

A Université de Montréal researcher, funded by the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Family Violence and Violence Against Women, has launched a new study to examine the effects of pornography on men. “We started our research seeking men in their twenties who had never consumed pornography. We couldn’t find any,” says Simon Louis Lajeunesse, a postdoctoral student and professor at the School of Social Work.
“The objective of my work is to observe the impact of pornography on the sexuality of men, and how it shapes their perception of men and women,” says Lajeunesse. To do so, he has so far recruited and interviewed 20 heterosexual male university students who consume pornography. [continue reading…]

As many as half of all men taking the antidepressant medication paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil) may have increased sperm DNA fragmentation — a predictor of compromised fertility. Research led by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center also found that the changes are reversible with normal levels of sperm returning after discontinuation of the drug.

The study is currently published in the online edition of the journal Fertility & Sterility, and represents one of the first scientific investigations into the effect of antidepressants on sperm quality. [continue reading…]