Pharmacology of erectile function and dysfunction

The central regulation of the erectile process involves several transmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, nitric oxide, and peptides (i.e., oxytocin and ACTH/alpha-MSH), but is still only known in part. These systems may be targets for future drug therapies aimed at the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Peripherally, the different steps involved in neurotransmission, impulse propagation, and intracellular transduction of neural signals in penile smooth muscles need further investigation. Continued studies of interactions between different transmitters/modulators may be the basis for new combination therapies. Increased knowledge of changes in penile tissues associated with erectile dysfunction may lead to increased understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms and to the prevention of the disorder.