Neurogenic erectile dysfunction (NED) can be defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection due to central or peripheral neurologic disease. Neurologic diseases can also affect the physical ability and psychological status of the patient.
All these factors may lead to a primary or secondary NED. Medication history plays an important role since there are many drugs commonly used in neurologic patients that can lead to ED. The assessment of NED in these patients is generally evolving with the application of evoked potentials technology in the test of somatic and autonomic nerves, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. With the electrophysiological examinations, neurogenic causes can be determined. These tools allow to categorize neurologic lesion and assess the patient prognosis. The first-line treatment for NED is phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Second-line treatments include intracavernous and intraurethral vasoactive injections. Third-line treatments are penile prostheses. The efficacy and safety of each treatment modality depend on the specific neurologic condition. This review discusses the physiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of ED in multiple peripheral and central neurologic conditions, as well as for future research.
Archivio italiano di urologia, andrologia : organo ufficiale [di] Societa italiana di ecografia urologica e nefrologica. 2020 Dec 21*** epublish ***
Mohamad Moussa, Athanasios G Papatsoris, Mohamad Abou Chakra, Baraa Dabboucy, Youssef Fares
Urology Department, Zahraa Hospital, University Medical Center, Beirut. ., 2nd Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Sismanoglio Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens. ., Department of Urology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut. ., Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut. ., Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut. .
PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33348971