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Rachel K. Hames, Celia Wilson, David Goldmeier, Oral Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors: Nonerectogenic Beneficial Uses—A Comment, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 6, Issue 7, July 2009, Page 2079, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01263.x
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We read with interest Mostafa’s article [1] reviewing the current literature on the many potential non-erectogenic uses for oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5). An area of research, however, that was not discussed in any detail in their review was PDE5 effects on psychological states.
Although there are important psychological issues in terms of erectile responses to PDE5 [2–4] we here describe apparently direct effects on anxiety and mood of PDE5 on animals and humans that may be independent of their pro-erectile effects.
Silfenafil has also been studied in anxiety-related research. Kurt and colleagues [5] investigated the effect of acute dosing of sildenafil in mice and concluded that it produced a dose-dependent anxiety-related behavior in the plus-maze test. Further animal work giving more prolonged dosing of sildenafil in the open-field testing [6] suggests that chronic exposure decreases anxiety. In humans, Orr and colleagues [7] tested the effect of sildenafil in older male participants diagnosed with a dysthmic disorder who had normal erectile function. Significant improvement was noted on self-reported measures of depressive symptoms independent of alteration in sexual function. Brink et al. [8] investigated the use of sildenafil as an antidepressant in the context of cholinergic–nitrergic interactions and concluded that sildenafil produces antidepressant effects only after central muscarinic receptor blockade.
