Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026
Author Spotlight: Translational Applications of Stimulated SFEMG in Rodent Models
Published on: March 8, 2024
Sexual health in neuromuscular diseases: Neglected challenges revealed by a scoping review
Audrey El Kaïm1, Marjorie Banos1, Valérie Decostre1
1Institute of Myology, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Neuromuscular Physiology and Evaluation Laboratory, GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Background:
Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are heterogeneous disorders causing progressive motor decline, multisystem complications, and reduced quality of life. Sexual health, a key component of well-being, remains largely overlooked. This scoping review mapped and synthesized evidence on sexual dysfunction (SD) in adults with NMDs, focusing on prevalence, underlying mechanisms, and research gaps.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (February-March 2025) identified studies reporting original data on SD in adults with genetically or clinically confirmed NMDs. Citation tracking complemented the search. Data were narratively synthesized following PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
Results:
Twenty-seven studies (1983-2024) including 2428 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Most were cross-sectional and questionnaire-based studies. SD was frequent but heterogeneous across conditions. In myotonic dystrophy, erectile dysfunction often related to hypogonadism; in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, higher disease severity correlated with altered desire and satisfaction in women; amyloid neuropathies showed autonomic-related erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction in men and multidimensional impairment in women; inflammatory myopathies revealed high SD prevalence in both sexes; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis involved intimacy loss mainly due to disability and psychosocial distress, despite preserved interest; myasthenia gravis displayed SD mainly associated with mental health conditions, X-linked spinal muscular atrophy showed predominantly endocrine-related SD.
Conclusion:
SD is common, multifactorial, and under-recognized in adults with NMDs. The available evidence remains limited by non-inclusive approaches to sexual orientation and intimacy, scarce physiological assessments, and substantial gaps regarding female sexual health, longitudinal data. Integrating sexual health assessment into routine care for people with NMDs should be prioritized.
More Related Videos
06:12Dissection of the Transversus Abdominis Muscle for Whole-mount Neuromuscular Junction Analysis
Published on: January 11, 2014
08:41Dissection of Single Skeletal Muscle Fibers for Immunofluorescent and Morphometric Analyses of Whole-Mount Neuromuscular Junctions
Published on: August 14, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
01:15Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
01:20Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which...
01:20Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...