Toward personalized sexual medicine (part 1): integrating the "dual control model" into differential drug treatments for hypoactive sexual desire disorder and female sexual arousal disorder.

In three related manuscripts we describe our drug development program for the treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). In this first theoretical article we will defend the hypothesis that different causal mechanisms are responsible for the emergence of HSDD: low sexual desire in women (with HSDD) could be due to either a relative insensitive brain system for sexual cues or to enhanced activity of sexual inhibitory mechanisms. This distinction in etiological background was taken into account when designing and developing new pharmacotherapies for this disorder.

Toward personalized sexual medicine (part 2): testosterone combined with a PDE5 inhibitor increases sexual satisfaction in women with HSDD and FSAD, and a low sensitive system for sexual cues.

Introduction: Low sexual desire in women may result from a relative insensitivity of the brain for sexual cues. Administration of sublingual 0.5 mg testosterone (T) increases the sensitivity of the brain to sexual cues.

Toward personalized sexual medicine (part 3): testosterone combined with a Serotonin1A receptor agonist increases sexual satisfaction in women with HSDD and FSAD, and dysfunctional activation of sexual inhibitory mechanisms.

Introduction: Among other causes, low sexual desire in women may result from dysfunctional activation of sexual inhibition mechanisms during exposure to sex. Administration of sublingual 0.5 mg testosterone (T) increases the sensitivity of the brain to sexual cues, which might amplify sexual inhibitory mechanisms further in women already prone to sexual inhibition.

The clitoral photoplethysmograph: a new way of assessing genital arousal in women.

Introduction: In the present study, we introduce clitoral photoplethysmography as an instrument to assess clitoral blood volume (CBV). In research on female sexual functioning, vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA), as measured using vaginal photoplethysmography, has been used extensively as a measure of vaginal vasocongestion. Measurement of clitoral blood flow has thus far been problematic, mainly because of methodological constraints.

The influence of testosterone combined with a PDE5-inhibitor on cognitive, affective, and physiological sexual functioning in women suffering from sexual dysfunction.

Introduction: Women with female sexual dysfunction have a reduced sensitivity to sexual stimuli. Activation of central mechanisms may open a window for phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5) to be effective; as a consequence, the combination of testosterone and a PDE5 inhibitor will restore sexual function.

Aim: To demonstrate that the combination of testosterone and vardenafil will increase the sensitivity for sexual stimuli and will improve the desire and arousal components of the sexual response.

Childhood sexual abuse, selective attention for sexual cues and the effects of testosterone with or without vardenafil on physiological sexual arousal in women with sexual dysfunction: a pilot study.

Introduction: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) may be associated with reduced central sensitivity for sexual cues. A single dose of testosterone might induce an increase in sensitivity for sexual stimuli, which in turn allows a PDE5 inhibitor to be effective in boosting the physiological sexual response. Negative sexual experience-like childhood sexual abuse (CSA)-might be an important intervening factor in these drugs-induced alterations.