This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (79)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Psychiatry, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Cindy M. Meston, PhD; Julia R. Heiman, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:652-656.

Background  The present investigation was designed to provide the first empirical examination of the effects of ephedrine sulfate, an - and -adrenergic agonist, on subjective and physiological sexual arousal in women. The purpose was to help elucidate the effects of increased peripheral adrenergic activity on sexual response in women.

Methods  Twenty sexually functional women participated in 2 experimental conditions in which subjective (self-report) and physiological (vaginal photoplethysmography) sexual responses to erotic stimuli were measured following administration of either ephedrine sulfate (50 mg) or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over protocol.

Results  Ephedrine significantly (P<.01) increased vaginal pulse amplitude responses to the erotic films and had no significant (P>.10) effect on subjective ratings of sexual arousal.

Conclusions  Ephedrine can significantly facilitate the initial stages of physiological sexual arousal in women. These findings have implications for deriving new pharmacological approaches to the management of sexual dysfunction in women.

From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (Dr Heiman). Dr Meston is now with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Later That Night: Descending Alcohol Intoxication and Men's Sexual Arousal
George et al.
Am J Mens Health 2008;2:76-86.
ABSTRACT  

A 60-Year-Old Woman With Sexual Difficulties
Potter
JAMA 2007;297:620-633.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Desire and Arousal Disorders in Women
Basson
NEJM 2006;354:1497-1506.
FULL TEXT  

Women's sexual dysfunction: revised and expanded definitions
Basson
CMAJ 2005;172:1327-1333.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dietary supplements for female sexual dysfunction
Boone and Shields
Am J Health Syst Pharm 2005;62:574-580.
FULL TEXT  

Female Genitalia: Dynamic MR Imaging with Use of MS-325—Initial Experiences Evaluating Female Sexual Response
Deliganis et al.
Radiology 2002;225:791-799.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Review: Female sexual dysfunctions -- the new models
Basson
British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease 2002;2:267-270.
ABSTRACT  

Female Sexual Dysfunction
Lightner
Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77:698-702.
ABSTRACT  

The Neurobiology of Sexual Function
Meston and Frohlich
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000;57:1012-1030.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Time Course of Effects of Testosterone Administration on Sexual Arousal in Women
Tuiten et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000;57:149-153.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Will There Be a 'Sex Drug' for Women?
JWatch Women's Health 1998;1998:22-22.
FULL TEXT