Sympathetic skin potentials and bulbocavernosus reflex in patients with chronic alcoholism and impotence.

Fifteen chronic alcoholic male patients with impotence have been investigated with the electrophysiological method of sympathetic skin potentials recorded from the genital skin and with the electrically induced bulbocavernosus reflex. Both electrophysiological tests did not differ from those of normal controls. It was proposed that there is no obvious role of the peripheral neuropathic factors in the pathogenesis of impotence in chronic alcoholism.

Skin potentials (SP) recorded from the extremities and genital regions in normal and impotent subjects.

Skin potentials (SP) were evoked by peripheral nerve stimulation from the hands and feet of 41 and from the genital skin of 28 male, controls. The same methods were also applied in 10 functionally impotent cases, 32 diabetic impotent and 8 diabetic normopotent cases. The SP was easily obtained from all 3 sites in all normal subjects and in 10 functionally impotent cases.