Healthy aging and male sexual function.

The authors examined the effect of age on sexual function and behavior and on nocturnal penile tumescence in 65 healthy married men aged 45 to 74 years. There was a significant negative relation between age and sexual desire, arousal, and activity and an increasing prevalence of sexual dysfunction with age but no age difference in sexual enjoyment and satisfaction. Significant age-related decreases in frequency, duration, and degree of nocturnal penile tumescence were found. Sexual desire, arousal, coital frequency, and prevalence of erectile problems correlated with nocturnal penile tumescence measures. The authors discuss the relevance of these findings for the understanding of sexual function in aging men.