Open AccessErectile dysfunction in Fragile X patients
Author(s) -
Gu Feng,
Zhang HaiYin,
Hu ShaoYi,
Huang ShangZhi,
Ma Xu,
Zhang YongQing
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
asian journal of andrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1745-7262
pISSN - 1008-682X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-7262.2006.00156.x
Subject(s) - erectile dysfunction , fragile x syndrome , sperm , fragile x , medicine , disease , psychiatry , biology , andrology , genetics , gene
Aim: To study a possible defect in spermatogenesis of Fragile X syndrome (FXS) patients. Methods : Two different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods were used for the molecular diagnosis of FXS. Sperm collection was done mostly according to the laboratory manual of the World Health Organization. Results : We failed to collect sperm samples from five Fragile X subjects aged 18–60 years as a result of an unexpected erectile dysfunction (ED). Multiple examinations of the same subject at different times, and of different subjects from different provinces by different physicians, showed the same result consistently in all five subjects examined. Conclusion : Erectile reflex is an instinctive response in all healthy males. The absence of erection can be caused by hormonal, physical or neuronal malfunction. As hormonal profiles were reported to be generally normal in Fragile X men, we propose that an unknown physical factor or the neuronal circuit, or both, underlying the erection is compromised. The finding of ED in Fragile X patients may help better understand the clinical spectrum and pathogenesis of the disease.