Clinical and therapeutic aspects of Klinefelter's syndrome: sexual function

Abstract

Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) is the most common sex chromosomal aberration among men, with estimated prevalence of about 1 in 500 newborn males. The classical phenotype of KS is widely recognized, but many affected subjects present only very mild signs. While the association between KS and infertility has been well documented, few studies have investigated sexual function in the KS patients. In the present paper we reviewed studies addressed to emotional processing and sexual function in KS. We searched the following databases Medline, Pubmed, Embase, for Klinefelter's syndrome, sexuality. We focus on the peculiar contribution of genetic and hormonal background, which characterizes sexual dysfunction in KS. Abnormal structure and function of the emotional brain circuits have been described in KS. These alterations were less pronounced when the patients underwent to testosterone replacement therapy suggesting that they were mediated by testosterone deficiency. Accordingly, clinical studies indicate that sexual dysfunctions, eventually present in KS, are not specifically associated with the syndrome but are related to the underlying hypogonadism. In conclusion, androgen deficiency more than chromosomal abnormality is the major pathogenic factor of sexual dysfunction in KS.