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Female Sexual Dysfunction in Presymptomatic Mutation Carriers and Patients with Huntington’s Disease

Female Sexual Dysfunction in Presymptomatic Mutation Carriers and Patients with Huntington’s Disease Background: Although in Huntington’s disease (HD) movement, cognition, and personality are most significantly affected, autonomic dysfunction should not be neglected. In women with HD sexual dysfunction has not been adequately studied yet.Objective: To report sexual dysfunction in a systematically studied cohort of female HD patients and compare it with controls of a similar age.Methods: In female HD patients and presymptomatic HD mutation carriers, we compared the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, neurologic assessment using the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and the Total Functional Capacity (TFC).Results: Of 44 female HD patients and 9 presymptomatic HD mutation carriers, 30 HD patients and 8 HD mutation carriers responded our invitation to complete FFSI questionnaire. Finally, 23 HD women with a partner were compared to 47 controls with a partner. HD patients had more problems with sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm and sexual satisfaction. By contrast, we found no difference in sexual desire and pain. Sexual dysfunction progressed in parallel with the decline in the TFC; severe sexual dysfunction occurred with TFC <7/13.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a significant impact of HD on female sexual function that progressed with patients’ functional decline and impaired patients’ quality of life. Sexual dysfunction may be caused by progression of the disease itself, side effects of medication, and comorbidities like depression or dementia. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Huntington's Disease IOS Press

Female Sexual Dysfunction in Presymptomatic Mutation Carriers and Patients with Huntington’s Disease

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Publisher
IOS Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved
ISSN
1879-6397
eISSN
1879-6400
DOI
10.3233/JHD-160224
pmid
28482643
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Background: Although in Huntington’s disease (HD) movement, cognition, and personality are most significantly affected, autonomic dysfunction should not be neglected. In women with HD sexual dysfunction has not been adequately studied yet.Objective: To report sexual dysfunction in a systematically studied cohort of female HD patients and compare it with controls of a similar age.Methods: In female HD patients and presymptomatic HD mutation carriers, we compared the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, neurologic assessment using the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and the Total Functional Capacity (TFC).Results: Of 44 female HD patients and 9 presymptomatic HD mutation carriers, 30 HD patients and 8 HD mutation carriers responded our invitation to complete FFSI questionnaire. Finally, 23 HD women with a partner were compared to 47 controls with a partner. HD patients had more problems with sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm and sexual satisfaction. By contrast, we found no difference in sexual desire and pain. Sexual dysfunction progressed in parallel with the decline in the TFC; severe sexual dysfunction occurred with TFC <7/13.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a significant impact of HD on female sexual function that progressed with patients’ functional decline and impaired patients’ quality of life. Sexual dysfunction may be caused by progression of the disease itself, side effects of medication, and comorbidities like depression or dementia.

Journal

Journal of Huntington's Disease – IOS Press

Published: Jan 1, 2017

References

  • Male sexual function in presymptomatic gene carriers and patients with Huntington’s disease
    Kolenc
  • Autonomic symptoms in patients and pre-manifest mutation carriers of Huntington’s disease
    Aziz
  • Trinucleotide repeat length instability and age of onset in Huntington’s disease
    Duyao
  • Progression of symptoms in the early and middle stages of Huntington disease
    Kirkwood
  • Socio-psychiatric consequences of Huntington’s disease
    Dewhurst
  • Huntington’s chorea in Northamptonshire
    Oliver
  • Huntington’s chorea in the West of Scotland
    Bolt
  • Sexual disorders in Huntington’s disease
    Fedoroff
  • Behavioral changes in Huntington disease
    Craufurd