SLEEP-RELATED ERECTIONS - ABSENCE OF CHANGE FOLLOWING PRESLEEP SEXUALAROUSAL

We examined the effects of a brief period of sexual arousal before sle ep on sleep-related erections (SREs) to add to our knowledge concernin g those factors that affect SREs. Twelve subjects watched a 5 minute s exually explicit video before sleep. On other evenings they watched a dysphoric arousal video or a lecture (neutral) video. Sleep and SREs w ere recorded throughout the following night. Although the brief sexual arousal video produced a full or near full erection in all subjects, no significant effect on subsequent SREs occurred. We conclude that th e control of SREs in young healthy subjects is insulated against the e ffect of a brief period of sexual arousal before sleep. (C) 1997 Elsev ier Science Inc.