Efficacy of Exercise for Sexual Side Effects of Antidepressants

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Sexual Dysfunction

Treatments

Behavioral: Exercise

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT01189825

2007-12-0059

1F31MH085416-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The major aim of the this study is to replicate findings of previous research that examined the effects of acute exercise on sexual arousal in women in a novel population, namely, women taking antidepressants of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) class. In previous studies it has been found that acute, moderate-intensity exercise facilitated physiological sexual arousal responses in healthy, sexually functional women. However, it is known that antidepressants may induce sexual dysfunction, and thus in the present study, the investigators are examining whether acute exercise may facilitate sexual responses in women with taking antidepressants, including women with antidepressant-related sexual dysfunction.

Enrollment

48 patients

Sex

Female

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

female
age 18 or older
currently receiving a consistent dosage of escitalopram, citalopram, sertraline, desvenlafaxine, venlafaxine, or duloxetine
currently sexually active
willing and able to exercise
experiencing regular menstrual cycles
not currently pregnant and not intending to become pregnant during trial

Exclusion criteria

currently taking more than one psychoactive medication
factors indicating risk of cardiovascular activity, including acute or chronic cardiovascular illness, including clinically significant hypertension (defined as self-reported hypertension or "blood pressure greater than 140/90" or receiving medications designed to treat hypertension); recent chest pain; frequent or recurrent faint or dizzy spells; severe or untreated exercise-related asthma; or musculoskeletal illness or injury that would be expected to worsen with physical exercise. Additionally, women will be excluded if they are found to have any of the following as measured during the fitness assessment of the first session: a BMI over 40, waist circumference over 40 inches, waist-to-hip ratio of greater than 0.9, systolic blood pressure greater than 150 or diastolic pressure over 95, or resting heart rate over 90.
factors associated with significant genital nerve damage, including: previous major pelvic surgery that may have caused nerve damage, including hysterectomy, vulvectomy, circumcision, colostomy, cystostomy, or serious bladder, rectal, or abdominal surgery; or neurological impairment due to diabetes, stroke, pelvic nerve damage secondary to trauma, cancer treatments, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord damage.
factors associated with non-normative endocrine function, including: perimenopausal or menopausal status, or >1 missed menstrual period in the previous 6 months; or currently pregnant, breastfeeding, or having breastfed within the past 3 months; or reporting clinically significant untreated renal or endocrine disease
untreated serious mental health conditions
sexual aversion or distress due to history of unwanted sexual contact