COVID-19 pandemic is associated with devastating effects on social, psychological, and economical aspects of survivors. We assume that erectile function (EF) is affected as well. We performed a systematic review of the published articles about the change in EF among patients and health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched PubMed and Cochrane databases for English literature using a combination of medical subject headings (MeSH) terms and keywords. We extracted data of erectile dysfunction (ED) rate, international index of erectile function (IIEF), changes related to exposure to the pandemic (Primary objectives), and factors affecting these differences (Secondary objectives). Twenty articles were included in the screening phase. Only 3 articles were eligible for primary objectives, and 2 articles were included for the secondary objective. Three articles revealed an increase in ED cases and a reduction in IIEF-5 scores during the pandemic. Rates of ED have ranged from 32% to 87% of the study populations. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were associated with increased ED rates. We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased rates of ED. Anxiety and depression augment this increase. Health care providers are at higher risk for PTSD, which increases the risk of ED.
Published in International J. of Impotence Research (Jan. 7, 2022):
The psychedelic substance found in magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, can relieve symptoms in people with major depressive disorder, according to a new studyTrusted Source.
While additional research is needed, this study shows the clinical potential of psilocybin, particularly for treating depression that’s resistant to other therapies.
The study was published on November 4 in JAMA Psychiatry.
“This is an extremely important study that advances the study of psychedelics and mental health, but more importantly, offers a new and novel treatment for major depressive disorder,” said Dr. Rakesh Jetly, chief medical officer at Mydecine, who wasn’t involved in the new study.
Twenty-four people completed the study, which involved receiving two doses of psilocybin along with supportive psychotherapy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers reported that the participant’s depressive symptoms improved rapidly, with over two-thirds responding well to the treatment.
Four weeks after psilocybin treatment, over half of the participants met the criteria for remission of their depression.