Grant: Project Grant

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a highly distressing, yet poorly understood, health concern in women, affecting an estimated 1-6% in the general population. PGAD is characterized by intrusive, unwelcome, unpleasant, and painful genital sensations that are not fully relieved by any over-the-counter remedy. These symptoms are commonly misunderstood as pleasurable by lay people and health professionals alike, leading to high levels of shame and feelings of isolation in sufferers. PGAD entails a substantial personal cost to patients in terms of negative impacts on mental health, relationship quality, and completion of daily activities, as well as a significant financial cost to society in terms of loss of time from work and lengthy medical investigations. Indeed, PGAD is associated with suicidal ideation, and completion. Despite the recent media attention on PGAD and the urgent call for systematic and clinically relevant research, little is known about the biological, psychological, and social (biopsychosocial) factors involved in the expression of PGAD. The main goal of the proposed study is to improve our understanding of the complex nature of PGAD by examining genital sensitivity via quantitative sensory testing, genital blood flow via laser Doppler imaging, and psychosocial adjustment via validated self-report measures. We will compare responses from the PGAD group to those of a non-affected group. We propose that knowledge of each of the elements investigated in this study (i.e., the biological and psychosocial)-as well as their interrelationships-will provide much-needed information related to factors involved in the development and maintenance of PGAD. In addition, this information will help inform health professionals regarding effective treatment options while increasing medical and public recognition and understanding of this debilitating condition.