Sexual function reduced in people with multiple sclerosis
06 Aug 2025
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is characterized by a persistent or recurrent deficiency of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity, resulting in marked distress and interpersonal difficulties.People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to experience a lower sexual function (SF) than healthy individuals, reports a study. Age, depression, disease duration, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) influence SF.
A systematic search was conducted on 28 July 2024 on the databases of PubMed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. The authors identified studies comparing SF between individuals with MS and healthy controls. They also assessed the association of SF with various demographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics.
The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and pooled correlations were estimated using random effects models.
Sixty-one studies, including 16,266 people with MS, met the eligibility criteria.
In the meta-analysis, SF was significantly reduced in people with MS relative to healthy controls, with females with MS having lower Female Sexual Function Index scores (SMD, –0.41, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], –0.61 to –0.20; p<0.0001) and males with SF showing reduced International Index of Erectile Function scores (SMD, −0.77, 95 percent CI, −1.32 to −0.22; p<0.01).
In addition, reduced SF significantly correlated with higher EDSS, longer disease duration, and depression in gender-aggregated analyses, as well as with older age, higher EDSS scores, depression, and fatigue in females with MS.
“Further studies on the effects of comorbidities, medications, and MS classification on the SF of people with MS are warranted,” the authors said.