Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
06:18
An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Endocrine aspects of women's sexual function.
Margaret E Wierman1, Rossella E Nappi, Nancy Avis
1University of Colorado at Denver, Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, Aurora, and Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Endocrinology, Denver, CO, USA. wierman@ucdenver.edu
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
|January 23, 2010
Summary
Hormonal changes from aging and endocrine disorders impact female sexual function. More research is needed on hormone therapies for female sexual dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Sexual Medicine
- Women's Health
Background:
- Aging and endocrine disorders significantly influence female sexual function.
- These effects can be direct (hormonal) or indirect (vascular, neurogenic, psychologic).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of hormonal changes on female sexual function.
- To evaluate risks and benefits of hormonal treatments for female sexual dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Literature review over a 2-year period by committee members.
- Recommendations presented at the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine, Paris 2009.
- Data quality and recommendations based on the GRADES system.
Main Results:
- Derived recommendations and guidelines on sex hormones and endocrine disorders in female sexual function.
- Identified the role of sex hormones in female sexual function.
Conclusions:
- Hormones are one factor among many influencing female sexual function.
- Further research is essential for understanding hormone impacts and therapy effectiveness for female sexual dysfunction.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Major Hormones and Their Functions
Hormones, the biochemical messengers produced by endocrine glands, are pivotal in regulating bodily functions and maintaining homeostasis. Each hormone's balance is crucial; imbalances can lead to significant physiological disruptions. Major hormones include oxytocin, cortisol, epinephrine, estrogen, testosterone, thyroxine, growth hormone, insulin, and glucagon.
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
01:10An Overview of the Endocrine System
The endocrine system, a complex network of glands, orchestrates physiological balance within the body through the production and secretion of hormones. These hormones are chemical messengers in intercellular communication, acting as conduits between the secretory cells and distant target sites. They traverse the circulatory system by being released into the extracellular fluid, and their impact is specific to cells possessing receptors for a particular hormone.
The endocrine system collaborates...
The endocrine system collaborates...
01:28Menopause
Menopause, a natural biological process marking the end of a woman's fertility, typically occurs between the fifth and sixth decade of life. This phase is characterized by the exhaustion of the ovarian follicle pool, leading to less responsive ovaries despite the high levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). The consequential decrease in estrogen production results in symptoms like hot flashes, heavy sweating, headaches, hair loss, muscle pains, vaginal...
00:59Structures of the Endocrine System
The intricate framework of the endocrine system encompasses a diverse array of glands, with their target tissues and organs strategically distributed throughout the body. Central to this network are the endocrine glands, specialized structures that lack ducts and release hormones directly into the interstitial fluid. Notably, the hypothalamus, a vital neuroendocrine organ situated in the brain, governs neural functions and serves as a potent source of hormonal regulation. Near the hypothalamus...
01:19Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...
Humoral stimuli,...
01:29The Endocrine System
The endocrine system is an extensive network of glands – organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many bodily functions, that secrete hormones, which are chemical messengers that play essential roles in regulating various bodily functions. These hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. They require specific receptors to convey signals to cells possessing these corresponding receptors. This complex signaling mechanism ensures that every...