Lack of Evidence for a Relationship Between Salivary CRP and Women's Sexual Desire: An Investigation Across Clinical and Healthy Samples

Kirstin Clephane; Julia I O'Loughlin; Tamara S Bodnar; M Claire Wilson; Jordan Tb Stariha; Amber N Craig; Joanne Weinberg; Lori A Brotto; Tierney K Lorenz

doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.02.007

Lack of Evidence for a Relationship Between Salivary CRP and Women's Sexual Desire: An Investigation Across Clinical and Healthy Samples

J Sex Med. 2022 May;19(5):745-760. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.02.007. Epub 2022 Mar 13.

Authors

Kirstin Clephane¹, Julia I O'Loughlin², Tamara S Bodnar³, M Claire Wilson⁴, Jordan Tb Stariha⁵, Amber N Craig⁶, Joanne Weinberg³, Lori A Brotto⁷, Tierney K Lorenz⁸

Affiliations

¹ University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, Lincoln, NE, USA; University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Psychology Department, Lincoln, NE, USA.
² University of British Columbia, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, USA.
³ University of British Columbia, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, USA.
⁴ Indiana University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Bloomington, IN, USA.
⁵ University of British Columbia, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, USA.
⁶ Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
⁷ University of British Columbia, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, USA; University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, USA.
⁸ University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, Lincoln, NE, USA; University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Psychology Department, Lincoln, NE, USA. Electronic address: tierney.lorenz@unl.edu.

Abstract

Background: Inflammation has been linked to a variety of mental and physical health outcomes that disproportionately impact women, and which can impair sexual function; thus, there is reason to expect a link between inflammation and women's sexual functioning.

Aim: To test the hypothesis that higher concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a general biomarker of inflammation, would predict women's lower sexual desire.

Method: As 2 independent research teams, we conducted 3 separate studies (total n = 405) that assessed salivary CRP and various measurements of sexual desire in different women populations.

Outcomes: Female Sexual Function Index, Sexual Desire Inventory-2, Decreased Sexual Desire Screener, and Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory.

Results: Regardless of the way sexual desire was measured (e.g., state vs trait; general desire vs. desire functioning) and the population sampled (i.e., healthy vs. clinically diagnosed with sexual dysfunction), all the studies revealed null results.

Clinical implications: While exploratory, the convergence of these null results across studies and researchers suggests that if there is an association between inflammation and women's sexual desire, it is likely very subtle.

Strengths & limitations: Across 2 independent research teams, 3 unrelated studies, and various measurements of sexual desire, results were consistent. These points lend to the generalizability of the results. However, study designs were cross-sectional.

Conclusions: Future research may reveal (i) a non-linear threshold effect, such that inflammation does not begin to impact women's sexual desire until it is at a high level, (ii) inflammatory biomarkers other than CRP might be more sensitive in detecting associations between inflammation and desire, should they exist, or (iii) the mechanisms underlying sexual dysfunction may differ between sexes. Clephane K, et al. Lack of Evidence for a Relationship Between Salivary CRP and Women's Sexual Desire: An Investigation Across Clinical and Healthy Samples. J Sex Med 2022;19:745-760.

Keywords: CRP; Desire; HSDD; Inflammation; Sexual Dysfunction; Women.

MeSH terms

C-Reactive Protein* / analysis
Female
Humans
Inflammation
Libido*
Saliva / chemistry
Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological* / etiology
Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

C-Reactive Protein

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding