Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2024 Apr 10;16(4):e57981.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.57981. eCollection 2024 Apr.

Improvement in Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Associated Sexual Dysfunction With Buspirone: Examining the Evidence

Kyra Lipman  1 , Holly Betterly  1 , Mousa Botros  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Improvement in Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Associated Sexual Dysfunction With Buspirone: Examining the Evidence

Kyra Lipman et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem for patients taking antidepressants, with the highest prevalence rates observed with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Sexual dysfunction can be distressing for patients and may lead to medication non-adherence; thus, it is important for the prescribers to be aware of the available treatment strategies, as well as of the strength of the evidence that supports their use. We present the case of a patient who developed delayed ejaculation after the initiation of sertraline for the treatment of depression. The patient's sexual dysfunction resolved after the addition of buspirone. A discussion of this case is followed by a review of the existing literature examining the possible role of buspirone in the treatment of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.

Keywords: buspirone; delayed ejaculation; erectile dysfunction; generalised anxiety disorder; psychiatry; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; sexual dysfunction; side effects.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Timeline of Events
Figure 2
Figure 2. Normal Sexual Response Cycle
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction related to antidepressants: A meta-analysis. Serretti A, Chiesa A. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2009;29:259–266. - PubMed
    1. Antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction: Impact, effects, and treatment. Higgins A, Nash M, Lynch AM. Drug Healthc Patient Saf. 2010;2:141–150. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mechanism of action of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors. Serotonin receptors and pathways mediate therapeutic effects and side effects. Stahl SM. J Affect Disord. 1998;51:215–235. - PubMed
    1. Comparative sexual side effects of bupropion, fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline. Modell JG, Katholi CR, Modell JD, DePalma RL. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1997;61:476–487. - PubMed
    1. Paroxetine in the treatment of premature ejaculation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Zhang D, Cheng Y, Wu K, Ma Q, Jiang J, Yan Z. BMC Urol. 2019;19:2. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources