A study conducted by the researchers of the Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has found that psychological stress caused by lifestyle and other factors could also play havoc with a man's sexual life.

The study states that sub-chronic psychological stress hampers male sexual potency and penile erection.

Raghav Kumar Mishra of the department and his PhD student carried out the research to study sub-chronic psychological stress and its impact on male sexual potency and physiology of penile erection and the findings have been published in the globally reputed journal Neuroendocrinology.

Mishra said, "Male sexual potency is a complex neuroendocrine process and an important component of masculinity."

However, many unknown factors account for nearly 50 per cent of cases of male impotency. Various scientific studies have suggested that in recent years modified lifestyle, psychological stress, nutrition/diet, and metabolic disorders, contribute significantly to the development of impotency.

"The relationship between psychological stress and impotency has been debated for years, with a number of studies being conducted worldwide," he explained.

He said that the study conducted on experimental models found that the adults who were subjected to psychological stress developed symptoms which could adversely affect male sexual potency and erectile dysfunction.

"The research team exposed experimental model to sub-chronic psychological stress for 1.5 to 3 hours every day for a period of 30 days and measured the neuromodulators, hormones, and markers of sexual potency and penile erection," he said.

According to him, psychological stress reduces the circulatory level of gonadotropins while increasing stress hormone (corticosterone) levels, which has an adverse effect on the male hormone (testosterone).

"Psychological stress alters the histomorphology of the penis by decreasing the smooth muscle/collagen ratio and increasing oxidative stress (imbalance between harmful molecules and antioxidant enzymes) in penile tissue. This can also lead to penile fibrosis," he said.

Mishra said that psychological stress reduces the frequencies of mount, intromission, and ejaculation, whereas it prolongs the duration of sexual exhaustion by increasing latencies of mount, intromission and ejaculation.

"This is one of the few detailed works studying the relationship between sub-chronic psychological stress and its effect on male sexual potency and penile erection. The study could pave way for new areas of analysis with regard to psychological stress and male sexual potency and vigour," he said.