Memory Decline Associated with Low Sexual Satisfaction

According to a recent study performed by Penn State researchers, low sexual satisfaction in middle age may serve as an early warning indicator for future cognitive deterioration. The study, which followed the relationships between erectile function, sexual satisfaction, and cognition in hundreds of men aged 56 to 68, discovered that losses in sexual satisfaction and erectile performance were associated to future memory loss.

According to the researchers, the study, published in the most recent issue of the journal Gerontologist, is the first to longitudinally track sexual satisfaction in tandem with sexual health and cognition, and its findings indicate to a potential unique risk factor for cognitive decline.

“What was unique about our approach is that we measured memory function and sexual function at each point in the longitudinal study, so we could look at how they changed together over time,” said Martin Sliwinski, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and co-author on the study. “What we found connects to what scientists are beginning to understand about the link between life satisfaction and cognitive performance.”

The study looked at the relationship between physical changes like microvascular alterations that affect penile function and psychological changes like poorer sexual satisfaction to see how they relate to cognition. They looked at the changes beginning in middle age because that is when declines in erectile function, cognition, and sexual satisfaction began to occur.

While the researchers observed a high association between the three health indicators, Sliwinski emphasized that they can only hypothesize on the cause.

Scientists have found that if you have low satisfaction generally, you are at a higher risk for health problems like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and other stress-related issues that can lead to cognitive decline,” he said. “Improvements in sexual satisfaction may actually spark improvement in memory function. We tell people they should get more exercise and eat better foods. We’re showing that sexual satisfaction also has importance for our health and general quality of life.”

The researchers collected survey data from 818 males who took part in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging for the study. They assessed participants’ cognitive changes throughout a 12-year period from age 56 to 68, correcting for people’ cognitive performance in young adulthood, using neuropsychological assessments such as memory and processing speed tests. The International Index of Erectile Function, a self-reported assessment for male sexual health, was used to assess their erectile function and sexual satisfaction with cognition. The researchers then developed a statistical model to better understand how the three variables changed as people aged.

“Research on sexual health has historically focused on quantifiable facets of sexuality like number of sexual partners or frequency of sexual activity,” said Riki Slayday, a doctoral candidate at Penn State and lead author on the study. “What we were interested in is the perception of that activity, how someone feels about their sex life, and how that influences cognitive function, because multiple people could be in the same situation physically but experience completely different levels of satisfaction.”

The study discovered that declines in erectile function and sexual satisfaction were both associated with memory impairment, indicating a link between psychological and physical health, according to the researchers.

“When we mapped the relationship over time, we found increases or decreases in erectile function and sexual satisfaction were associated with concurrent increases or decreases in cognitive function,” Slayday said. “These associations survived adjustment for demographic and health factors, which tells us there is a clear connection between our sex lives and our cognition.”

Previously, researchers discovered a relationship between microvascular alterations and changes in erectile function over time. According to Sliwinski, the active ingredient in Viagra (Sildenafil) was originally intended to treat cardiovascular disorders, therefore the link between vascular health and sexual function is well established. Future studies should look on how erectile function relates to other elements of health, he says.

He believes that increasing the testing and monitoring of erectile function as a crucial marker of health may aid in identifying persons at risk of cognitive deterioration before the age of 70. The researchers point out that the older adult population in the United States is predicted to double in the next 30 years, implying that twice as many people will hit their 60s and experience reductions in erectile function and sexual satisfaction.

“We already have a pill for treating erectile dysfunction. What we don’t have is an effective treatment for memory loss,” Sliwinski said. “Instead of the conversation being about treating ED, we should see that as a leading indicator for other health problems and also focus on improving sexual satisfaction and overall well-being, not just treating the symptom.”

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