• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.278-282
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• 1998

Various neurotransmitters have been proposed as possible mediators of penile erection. Especially, norepinephrine and serotonin might have a important role in sexual arousal and penile erection. And it could be hypothesized that the psychogenic impotence is associated with the depletion or imbalance of norepinephrine and serotonin from evidences, such as the symptomatic manifestation of depression and the antidepressantinduced sexual dysfunction. The authors investigates the association of norepienphrine and serotonin with psychogenic impotence. The psychogenic impotent group(PIG) consisted of twenty-three patients with psychogenic impotence and the controlled group(CG) consisted of twenty-seven patients without psychogenic impotence. PIG had no organic cause accounting for their erectile dysfunction. The Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) were applied to each subject to assess mood, state anxiety(SA) and trait anxiety(TA). Plasma norepinephrine level from systemic blood and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(HIAA) levels from 24-hours urine were measured in each subject. The mean score of BDI of PIG was significantly higher than that of CG(p=0.015). PIG had a tendency of higher TA compared with CG(p=0.054). And also SA was higher in PIG, but did not show significant difference(p=0.193). The level of norepinephrine was significantly lower in patient with psychogenic impotence(p=0.000). And the level of 24-hours urine 5-HIAA was lower in PIG but did not show significant difference(p=0.494). Although the authors did not exclude depressive disorders in PIG, the present findings suggest that psychogenic impotence might have higher depressive mood and trait anxiety, and be associated with the depletion of norepinephrine in systemic blood.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.371-376
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• 1994

To reevaluate the clinical usefulness of erection penography for diffential diagnosis of impotence, we reviewed retrospectively the data of penography in 56 patients who were diagnosed as impotence by various diagnostic workup. Twelve normal males were studied as control group. Papaverine HCl 30mg was injected into the corpus cavernosum and simultaneously $^{99m}Tc$-HSA 20mCi was injected via an antecubital vein. After injection radioactivities in the penile area were detected for 30 minutes by gamma camera and time activity curve was displayed. We defined that transit time(TT) is the time to reach peak activity and erection persistent time(EPT) is the duration of time to maintain peak activity and venous index(VI) is the ratio of radioactivity($R_{30}/R_{max}$). The results were as follows. The TT of arteriogenic group($10.7{\pm}2.8min$) was significantly increased compared with those of control and venogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). The EPT of venogenic group ($6.2{\pm}6.8min$) is significantly decreased compared with those of control and arteriogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). The TT of psychogenic($15.2{\pm}5.5min$) is significantly increased compared with those of control and arteriogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). In conclusion erection penography was very useful for the diagnosis of vascular and psychogenic impotence and for differentiation between arteriogenic and venogenic but it could not differentiate mixed type or neurogenic from vascular or psychogenic.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.181-185
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• 1986

To estimate the penile blood flow changes during artificial with erection intracorporeal papaverine injection, we injected 99 m Technitium-Human Serum Albumin via antecubital vein simultaneously and calculate the radioisotope activity of the penis using computerized Gamma Camera. We classified the results into 3 groups according to the transit time, erection persistent time and venous index in 67 impotence patients. We defined the arteriogenic impotence with the delayed transit time (more than 600 seconds) in 13 patients and venogenic with the shortened erection persistant time (less than 200 seconds) and decreased venous index (less than 0.8) in 11 patients. The rest of them (43 patients) were regarded as equivocal impotence, probably nonvasculogenic or psychogenic.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2003

Background : Recent discoveries on the physiology of an erection have demonstrated that the organic causes of impotence are more common, and psychogenic impotence is correspondingly less common than was formally believed. The incidence of sexual dysfunctions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is largely unknown or may be perfunctorily attributed to the associated illness or to aging. This study investigated whether or not the impotence was related to the COPD itself as well as whether or not it nay stem from organic causes in a notable proportion of such patients. Methods : The sexual function was evaluated in 10 COPD patients and 10 normal control subjects. A nocturnal Rigi Scan was performed to evaluate the erectile function of each group. The level of hormones such as the free testosterone, prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was measured, and a pulmonary function test and arterial blood gas analysis was performed. Results : The time duration and frequency of a penile erection were significantly lower in COPD patients than the controls (p<0.05). In addition, the $PaO_2$ levels correlated with the time duration of the penile erection. Conclusion : These results suggest that COPD is one of the causes of organic erectile dysfunction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 1996

To investigate the effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on male sexual function and serum lipid level, the results of KRG treatments were compared to placebo group. A total of 35 patients with psychogenic impotence were assigned to medication group with KRG (n=28) and placebo (n=7). KRG and placebo were given to each group for 2 months. Changes in symptoms such as frequency of coitus, morning erection, penile rigidity and tumescence were significantly higher in the group receiving KRG than placebo group. The overall therapeutic efficacies on erectile function were 67% for KRG group and 28% for placebo group (p <0.05). In the group treated with 9 tablets of KRG, there was tendency of better efficacy as compared to the group treated with 6 tablets of KRG. The level of serum high density lipid- cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) was significantly elevated (p < 0.05) while the other serum lipid such as total cholesterol, tiglyceride and low density lipid-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) , were not changed after administration of KRG. This effect was observed significantly in the group in which KRG exerted its effect on sexual function(p < 0.05). From the above results, the administration of Korean red ginseng has shown to have superior of facts as compared to the placebo. The tendency of good effect was increased when a large amount of KRG was administered. The mechanism of KRG in improving sexual function would be the result of elevating the level of geum HDL-cholesterol in impotent patients. The effect of KRG was produced when the level of cholesterol was high before starting KRG medication. Therefore, the effect of KRG could be observed more intensively when the patients have high serum cholesterol level.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.247-256
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• 1999

Ginseng has been used in maintaining physical vitality throughout the far-eastern countries and recently its metabolism and actions on neurologic, cardiovascular, and endocrinologic systems are studied. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been used in various ailments, and to prove its efficacy for erectile dysfunction an international study on Asians other than Korean was performed. Patients with borderline organic and psychogenic erectile dysfunction were included. KRG were given daily, and placebo were given as controls. Treatment lasted a total of 3 months. Surveys including libido, erection, ejaculation, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction were given. Serum testosterone and erectile function study were taken. Among the 64 patients, 37 patients were followed with KRG. Five had diabetes, 5 hypertension, 5 hypercholesterolemia, 6 low testosterone, 6 psychogenic, and 11 idiopathic. The improvement after KRG administration was $70.2\%$ on objective questionnaire and $75.7\%$ on subjective analysis. When KRG were given, all parameters surveyed have shown improvements compared to the placebo. The effects of KRG in Chinese and Singapores were similar to the Koreans. Serum testosterone levels were nonnalized in 6 patients with KRG, who's serum testosterone levels were reduced from pre-study. Two patient reported constipation, and 2 gastric upsets in the KRG group. In conclusion, KRG has beneficiary action on male erectile capabilities with little side effects. KRG is effective in Koreans and also Asians. The exact action mechanism and the active ingredients in KRG need to be studied.