A SURVEY OF PSYCHOSEXUAL AROUSABILITY IN MALE-PATIENTS ON DEPOT NEUROLEPTIC MEDICATION

Sexual and endocrine function in a geographically defined population o f male patients receiving depot neuroleptic medication were studied (n = 119). It was predicted that psychosexual arousability would be redu ced in this patient group, perhaps because of the endocrine effects of medication. Arousability was measured in 63 patients (53% of the popu lation) using a validated questionnaire of sexual function for which n ormative data were available (Sexuality Experience Scales, SES 2). Blo od levels of prolactin, testosterone and gonadotrophins were assayed. Physical sexual dysfunction was common, as was endocrine dysfunction. However, the sample's mean score on the global arousability scale was not significantly different from the normative mean. Arousability was negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with frequenc y of spontaneous penile erections, but not significantly correlated wi th endocrine variables or exposure to neuroleptic medication. These re sults suggest that sexual arousability in response to imagined or audi o-visual erotic stimuli is surprisingly unimpaired in medicated male p atients suffering from chronic mental illness.