Effect of Sertraline on Current-Source Distribution of the High Beta Frequency Band: Analysis of Electroencephalography under Audiovisual Erotic Stimuli in Healthy, Right-Handed Males

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the cerebral changes in high beta frequency oscillations (22-30 Hz) induced by sertraline and by audiovisual erotic stimuli in healthy adult males.

Materials and methods: Scalp electroencephalographies (EEGs) were conducted twice in 11 healthy, right-handed males, once before sertraline intake and again 4 hours thereafter. The EEGs included four sessions recorded sequentially while the subjects were resting, watching a music video, resting, and watching an erotic video for 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes, respectively. We performed frequency-domain analysis using the EEGs with a distributed model of current-source analysis. The statistical nonparametric maps were obtained from the sessions of watching erotic and music videos (p<0.05).

Results: The erotic stimuli decreased the current-source density of the high beta frequency band in the middle frontal gyrus, the precentral gyrus, the postcentral gyrus, and the supramarginal gyrus of the left cerebral hemisphere in the baseline EEGs taken before sertraline intake (p<0.05). The erotic stimuli did not induce any changes in current-source distribution of the brain 4 hours after sertraline intake.

Conclusions: It is speculated that erotic stimuli may decrease the function of the middle frontal gyrus, the precentral gyrus, the postcentral gyrus, and the supramarginal gyrus of the left cerebral hemisphere in healthy adult males. This change may debase the inhibitory control of the brain against erotic stimuli. Sertraline may reduce the decrement in inhibitory control.

Keywords: Electroencephalography; Serotonin uptake inhibitors; Sexual behavior.

FIG. 1

Statistical nonparametric maps (SnPMs) comparing the current-source distribution of the high beta frequency band (22-30 Hz) of erotic video sessions and those of music video sessions in healthy, right-handed young males. The current-source density decreased in the postcentral gyrus, the precentral gyrus, the supramarginal gyrus, and the middle frontal gyrus of the left cerebral hemisphere under audiovisual erotic stimulation before sertraline intake (A). The changes disappeared in the SnPMs 4 hours after sertraline intake (B).

FIG. 2

Statistical nonparametric maps (SnPMs) comparing the erotic video sessions 4 hours after sertraline intake and those sessions before sertraline intake. The current-source density of the high beta frequency band increased in the superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri and the precentral gyrus of the left cerebral hemisphere.