An unexpected association between urinary incontinence, depression and sexual dysfunction.

Certain aspects of urinary incontinence, depression and sexual function are proving to be tied to one another in ways other than the obvious. From a biochemical standpoint certain monoamines, specifically serotonin, appear to be important in the expression of these pathologic states. In depression, the role of serotonin is fairly well established, and there is increasing evidence for there being a role in a specific cause of incontinence as well. There is only empiric evidence that serotonin plays a role in some types of sexual dysfunction. However, the possibility of this connection between such distinct disorders is fodder for theoretic conjecture. (c) 2002 Prous Science. All rights reserved.