[Brain magnetic resonance imaging in exploring the central neurophysiological mechanisms of penile erection: Progress...

Previous studies have found that penile erection is not only dependent on the peripheral nervous and vascular systems, but also controlled by the central nervous system. Some brain regions are responsible for promoting and suppressing penile erection, respectively. Studies on the brain functions showed both activation and inactivation of the brain regions when receiving sexual stimulation, and those on the brain structure of ED patients revealed atrophy of the gray matter structure and abnormal connection of the white matter fibers. In addition, abnormal connections within emotional, cognitive and default and salience networks were found in patients with psychogenic ED. This article reviews the brain MRI-based studies on the central neurophysiological mechanisms of penile erection, aiming to gain a deeper insight into human neurophysiological mechanisms of the neural circuits controlling erectile function.