Prevalence of biomarkers related to hypersexuality or compulsive sexual behavior: a bicentric study - Brazil (USP) and Sweden (KI)

• Grant number: 21/03596-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2022 - April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Marco de Tubino Scanavino
• Grantee: Marco de Tubino Scanavino
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psiquiatria Doutor Antonio Carlos Pacheco e Silva (IPq). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Leda Leme Talib
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/16713-5 - Activity Plan for Research Assistant for the Project "Prevalence of biomarkers related to hypersexuality or compulsive sexual behavior: a bicentric study - Brazil (USP) and Sweden (KI)", BP.TT

Abstract

Hypersexuality is a worldwide phenomenon and a worrisome issue for our time. Studies with neurobiological biomarkers of hypersexuality are in their onset, recounting findings basically from a single group of researchers from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, who found dysfunctions in the Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal (HHA) axis and in the Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Gonadal (HHG) axis of hypersexual individuals. Unfortunately, such data lack replication to gain greater strength of evidence. In addition, certain mood-related biomarkers have not yet been investigated in hypersexual or compulsive sexual individuals. Hypothesis: biomarkers (endocrine, inflammatory, mood-related, genetic) are associated with the hypersexual disorder or compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). Objective: Our main objective is to investigate the association of hypersexual disorder or CSBD with endocrine, inflammatory, humor-related, and genetic biomarkers. We also aimed to investigate the association of the perpetration of sexual violence and the compulsive consumption of pornography with the biomarkers described above Methods: The study will feature 100 Brazilian men and 100 Swedish men who meet diagnostic criteria for hypersexual disorder or compulsive sexual behavior disorder, and 50 healthy Brazilian and Swedish volunteers, totaling a sample of 300 participants. They will go through a psychiatric diagnostic interview, respond to self-responsive scales, and undergo blood sample collection to measure neuroendocrine biomarkers. The data will undergo lab analysis and statistical analysis. (AU)