Erectile dysfunction has a partially genetic cause, finds a study in 2,50,000 males

Researchers have reported that they have underpinned the first evidence of a partial genetic cause for erectile dysfunction.A genetic variant near a gene called SIM1 has a partial role to play in erectile dysfunction (ED), and could also hold promise in treatments for the disease, according to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 8 October.The study looked at health and performance data from nearly 250,000 men in a multi-ethnic population of adults.So far, erectile dysfunction had been attributed to many things: age, obesity, diabetes, urinary tract symptoms, heart disease and smoking, among others. It is a complex mix of psychosocial, hormonal and neurological factors, the study explains.[caption id="attachment_5345511" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Representational image. Image courtesy: The Health Orange[/caption]Now, the researchers have also confirmed a genetic risk factor that contributes to erectile dysfunction — a mutation in the gene at a particular site in the DNA that changes the protein made from it in some way. A single mutation near a gene called SIM1 showed a strong link with cases of ED.The SIM1 gene plays a role in pathways involved in body-weight management and sexual function.With two copies of the altered gene, an individual is at 59 percent higher risk of suffering ED, Dr Eric Jorgenson, a lead author in the study said to the university press.

"Identifying the first genetic risk factor for erectile dysfunction is an exciting discovery because it opens the door for investigations into new, genetic-based therapies," said Dr Hunter Wessells, another lead investigator in the study.While there are many treatments available to ED patients, it isn’t effective in roughly 50 percent of all men, according to the university press.“Hopefully, this will translate into better treatments and, importantly, prevention approaches for the men and their partners who often suffer silently with this condition,” Wessells said.