Traumatic Head Injury on Sexual Term Paper

Physical dysfunctions caused by traumatic brain injury which are not properly addressed, such as erectile dysfunction, can cause an extreme dip in male sexual frequency.

Another way in which sexual function is affect by traumatic brain injury is through chemical changes caused by rain damage. Primary dysfunctions include hormonal changes which then result in sexual dysfunctions, (Aloni & Katz, 1999). Hormonal changes due to injury are experienced by both male and females. These changes can be caused by injury to specific brain structures in charge of producing and regulating specific hormone levels.

Changes in hormone levels can also be caused by the various medications prescribed to traumatic brain injury patients. "H2-antihistamines and stereotonegic agonists were found to decrease libido," according to Aloni and Katz in their 1999 work, "A Review of the Effect of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Human Sexual Response," (Aloni & Katz, p. 276). Only female experienced an increase of libido after being prescribed stereotonergic agents, (Aloni & Katz). Antidepressants have also reportedly affected the timing of female orgasms. These drugs, typically prescribed to help with the psychological trauma of traumatic brain injury, are actually found to delay female orgasms (Aloni & Katz, 1999). Levels of prolactine, which is released by the pituitary gland and also associated with the emotional sentiment of attachment which females exude after sexual experiences, are also affected by neurological damage to the brain caused by injury.

Now that more research is being committed to the sexual dysfunctions allegedly caused by traumatic brain injury, the question of what to do about them is more prevalent than ever before. Before the problem was the only thing in focus, but not the cause, but now that "traumatic brain injury research is moving away from focusing on the location of the injury toward evaluating function or dysfunction," (Aloni & Katz, p. 270), real treatments can now be implemented. Limited research means limited solutions, which makes many dysfunctions hard to predict and treat.By spending more time to research the connection between traumatic brain injury and following sexual dysfunction, those who suffer from its affects may in time return to their normal states. Due to the majority of individual's suffering from traumatic rain injury being adolescents, one has to wonder why more research has not yet been done. Not much has been done in the past to help in the recovery of sexual dysfunctions, but as more light is shed on the subject, more rehabilitation services are becoming available to those in need of them. Treatments currently used today include behavior modification therapy, where efforts are placed on reversing the behavioral sexual dysfunctions (Elliott, 1996). However, "due to the multi-faceted nature of traumatic brain injury and the reluctance of some staff members to deal with sexual problems, sexuality rehabilitation has made slow progress," (Ponsford, p. 277).

The facts do not lie; there is some correlation between traumatic brain injury and various sorts of sexual dysfunction. Dysfunction in sexual relationships and performance can be attributed to head injury and its neurological and psychological aftermath. By committing to more research on the subject, those who are currently suffering from such conditions have hope to eventually returning to the original condition.

Works Cited

Aloni, Ronit and Katz, Shlome. "A Review of the Effect o Traumatic Brain Injury on the Human Sexual Response." Brain Injury. Vol. 3. Number 4. p. 269-280. 1999.

Bianci-Demichel, Francesco and Ortigue, Stephanie. "Toward an Understanding of the Cerebral Substrates of a Woman's Orgasm." Neuropsychologia. Vol 45. Number 12. P. 2645-2659. 2007.

Blumer, D and Waler, a.E. "The Neural Basis of Sexual Behavoir." Psychiatric Aspects of Neurological Disease. P. 199-216. 1974.

Elliott, Mike Laurel. "Head Injury." Brain Injury. October 1996.

Kaplan, H.S. The New Sex Therapy. Brunner Mazel, New York. 1974.

Kreutzer, J.S. & Zasler, N.D. "Psychosexual Consequences of TBI: Methodology and Preliminary Findings." Brain Injury. Vol. 3: 177-186. 1989.

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