Overview
- Researchers in Copenhagen used the LDAEP EEG measure before SSRI treatment in 90 depressed patients and tracked sexual side effects over eight weeks.
- Higher pre-treatment serotonin activity, reflected by lower LDAEP, was linked to a greater likelihood of medication-related sexual problems, especially difficulty reaching orgasm.
- Combining LDAEP results with baseline sexual symptom data predicted the ability to reach orgasm with about 87% accuracy, according to the team.
- The approach targets medication-induced problems rather than general sexual dysfunction, and the 30-minute, non-invasive test is not generally available.
- The findings were presented at ECNP and are under peer review, with experts urging replication as a 600-patient follow-up study gets underway to address sample limits and explore hormone interactions.