Sexual function in patients with Parkinson's disease and their partners.

Abstract

Sexual function in patients with Parkinson's disease has received virtually no attention. There are many reasons (physical, psychological and social), why such patients might experience problems within their sexual relationships. A group of patients and their partners completed a series of self-report measures, aimed at assessing sexual function and a range of factors which might be associated with any difficulties. The results revealed a high level of dysfunction, not just in the patients but also in their partners. Most effected were the couples in which the patient was male. A range of problems were reported by both patients and their partners. These were, in turn, associated with a range of variables relating to the disease, psychological and social factors. No simple causal model was suggested, and a multimodal therapeutic approach might be expected to have most benefit.