Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
06:40
Activity-based Training on a Treadmill with Spinal Cord Injured Wistar Rats
Published on: January 16, 2019
Female sexual function after spinal cord injury
Marca L Sipski1, Adriana Arenas
1Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development, Center of Excellence in Functional Recovery and Spinal Cord Injury, Miami, FL 33101, USA. m.sipski@worldnet.att.net
Progress in Brain Research
|October 4, 2005
Summary
Research on female sexuality after spinal cord injury (SCI) has advanced, revealing how specific injury patterns impact sexual response. New findings support the nervous system
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Reproductive Health
- Clinical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Background:
- Female sexuality research post-spinal cord injury (SCI) has evolved from small-scale questionnaires to detailed laboratory analyses.
- Previous studies often lacked precise data on injury levels and patterns, limiting understanding of specific impacts on sexual function.
- Understanding the neurological underpinnings of female sexual response is crucial for addressing dysfunction after SCI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze how specific spinal cord injury patterns influence various aspects of female sexual response.
- To investigate the role of the sympathetic and autonomic nervous systems in female sexual function following SCI.
- To propose a novel classification system for sexual function in women with SCI and review treatment options for sexual dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Transition from questionnaire-based studies to laboratory-based analyses.
- Inclusion of women with precisely documented spinal cord injury patterns.
- Detailed examination of specific injury patterns and their correlation with sexual response components.
Main Results:
- Specific injury patterns significantly affect distinct aspects of the female sexual response.
- Evidence supports the sympathetic nervous system's role in psychogenic genital vasocongestion.
- Orgasm is confirmed as a reflex response mediated by the autonomic nervous system.
Conclusions:
- A new classification system for sexual function in women with SCI is proposed based on current research.
- Findings provide a foundation for understanding and potentially treating sexual dysfunction in this population.
- Further research and clinical reviews are essential for advancing sexual health management in women with SCI.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation
Sexual stimulation can take various forms, such as physical touch and visual or auditory cues. When this happens, the parasympathetic reflex in the sacral portion of the spinal cord is activated. This reflex stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO), which then dilates the arterioles in the penis, increasing blood flow to the erectile tissues - the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum.
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
01:14Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology
Spinal cord injury progresses through two interconnected phases: primary injury and secondary injury.Primary InjuryPrimary injury happens at the moment of trauma and involves immediate mechanical damage to the spinal cord.Compression happens when broken vertebrae, herniated discs, or accumulating blood (such as a hematoma) press directly against the spinal cord, distorting its normal shape and function. In cases of contusion, the cord is bruised by a blunt force (like penetrating injuries or...
01:25Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...