Do endocrines play an etiological role in diabetic and nondiabetic sexual dysfunctions?

Sexually dysfunctional diabetic and nondiabetic males were compared with a group of normal controls using different endocrinological, psychophysiological, and psychological parameters. One hundred male subjects participated in this study: 47 diabetics with sexual dysfunction (DD), 31 nondiabetics with sexual dysfunction (NDD), and 22 normal controls (C). They were evaluated by an internist (physical examination and medical history), a psychologist (psychological and sexual functioning tests), a psychiatrist (psychiatric history and mental status examination), a urologist (genitourinary physical examination), and an endocrine biochemist (evaluation of endocrine factors). Additionally, subjects were evaluated for nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) during three nights in the sleep laboratory to obtain a differential diagnosis of impotence, that is, psychogenic vs. organic. Both sexually dysfunctional groups showed significant differences on several measures in the psychological and psychophysiological evaluations. There were also significant differences between these two groups and the control group. Plasma levels of total testosterone and serum levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) showed no significant differences among the three groups, but there were some significant correlations between the endocrine and psychological measures. No significant correlations were found between the endocrine and psychophysiological measures.

Conversion of progesterone by testicular tissue of cryptorchid rats.

The capacity of adult rat testes rendered surgically cryptorchid to metabolize progesterone was investigated at several time intervals (7, 14, 28 and 42 investigated at several time intervals (7, 14, 28 and 42 days) after surgery. Testicular tissue was incubated with [3H]progesterone, the steroid metabolites were isolated and purified using paper and thin layer chromatography, and further identified by isotopic dilution and recrystallization to constant 3H/14C ratio or constant specific activity (DPM/mumol). A sharp decrease in the accumulation of testosterone, concomitant with a marked increase in accumulation of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, was observed as early as 7 days after surgery. No further major changes were observed at 14 or 28 days after surgery. However, at 42 days, accumulation of testosterone was substantially increased, while that of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone decreased to trace levels. 20 alpha-Dihydroprogesterone was detected at different time intervals after surgery. The data suggest that cryptorchidism inhibits the activity of 17-20 desmolase for the first 4 weeks after surgery. The activity of this enzyme is restored by the 42nd day and the metabolic pathway between progesterone and testosterone resembles that of an intact rat. The factors responsible for this spontaneous restoration of the biosynthetic pathway are under investigation.

Nocturnal penile tumescence and penile responses in the waking state in diabetic and nondiabetic sexual dysfunctionals.

This study compared diabetics with sexual dysfunction, nondiabetics with sexual dysfunction, and a group of controls on nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) during three nights in a sleep laboratory, and penile response to erotic stimulation in the waking state on one of the nights. Both diabetic and nondiabetic dysfunctionals showed less erectile response to erotic films and tape than controls but did not differ from each other. In contrast, the diabetic dysfunctionals showed significantly weaker NPT response than both the nondiabetic dysfunctionals and the controls, and 58% of them (contrasted with 23% of nondiabetic dysfunctionals and 0% of controls) would be classified as organic using minimal NPT (less than 11.5 mm maximal increase in penile circumference during any nocturnal erection) as the sole criterion. There was a significant relationship between NPT and waking erections in response to erotic stimuli, especially in the diabetic dysfunctionals and the controls.