Sexual Functioning in Chronically Depressed Patients Treated with SSRI Antidepressants: a Pilot Study

Objective: This prospective study assessed changes in depression and sexual functioning in chronically depressed men and women during treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Method: Twenty-five subjects (14 women, 11 men) with DSM-III-R dysthymia, chronic major depression, or double depression were administered the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale before and after 6 weeks of treatment with sertraline or paroxetine.

Results: As measured by scores on the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, desire, psychological arousal, and overall sexual functioning significantly improved in women; orgasm delay, orgasm satisfaction, and overall sexual functioning significantly worsened in men.

Conclusions: This study suggests that after SSRI treatment, difficulties with desire and psychological arousal in depressed women tend to remit, whereas in men orgasmic dysfunction appears to be a side effect to medication.