WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes-related
erectile dysfunction is caused by a defect in the nitric oxide (NO)
mechanism in a part of the brain called the paraventricular nucleus
(PVN), a U.S. study finds.
The PVN, located in the hypothalamus, plays a role in many
functions, including penis erection and sexual behavior.
Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in men with diabetes.
This study offers new information about the association between
diabetes and erectile dysfunction and may help improve treatments,
said researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in
Omaha.
After a series of experiments with rats, the researchers
concluded that erectile dysfunction in diabetes is due to a defect
in the NO mechanisms within the PVN. This defect is the loss in the
synthetic enzyme for the production of NO within the neurons of the
PVN. Restoring production of this synthetic enzyme may benefit
diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction.
The findings are published in the March issue of the
American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and
Comparative Physiology.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases has more about
sexual and urologic problems of diabetes.
