Psychotropic-induced sexual dysfunction

Abstract

Psychotropic-induced sexual dysfunction is a common and bothersome side effect of psychotropic medications. The majority of information available on the subject primarily pertains to antidepressants, but antipsychotics can also cause significant sexual dysfunction. The mechanisms behind these adverse events are thought to be primarily due to antidepressants' effects on serotonin and to antipsychotics' anti-dopaminergic activity. Sexual dysfunction can have many causes, not just psychotropic medication, therefore this article aims to examine the etiology of sexual dysfunction, as well as discuss differential diagnoses. Treatment for psychotropic-induced sexual dysfunction will be discussed, with more data available for the treatment of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction. The paucity of data for antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction does make it more difficult to treat.