[Sexuality and partnership aspects of Parkinson disease. Results of an empirical study of patients and their partners] . / Sexualität und Partnerschaft bei Morbus Parkinson. Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie bei Betroffenen und ihren Partnern.

In a retrospective, non-randomised cross-sectional study the influence of Parkinson's Disease (PD) on sexuality and partnership in 2099 affected members of the German Parkinson Organization (dPV) were investigated. At an average age of 65, 330 women and 1008 men had been living in partnership for an average of 37 years. Not only sexual dysfunctions occurred both in affected women and men but also an evident reduction of sexual contentment on the whole. The affected patients mentioned specific symptoms of PD and medication as the decisive factors of influence on their sexuality. It was impressive that one single group of substances could influence sexual functions by increasing as well as decreasing them or having no influence at all. Furthermore different sexes in different genders became obvious. The information concerning their partnership situation given by both men and women shows that communication in general, especially caressing and showing feelings, are reduced since diagnosis, whereas a desire for mutual intimacy prevails on the same level as before.