Important interaction between urethral taste bud-like structures and Onuf's nucleus following spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage: A hypothesis for the mechanism of dysorgasmia

Background

We previously postulated that orgasmic sensation may occur through recently discovered genital taste bud-like structures. The interaction between the pudendal nerve and Onuf's nucleus may be important for developing orgasmic information. The study aims to investigate whether ischemic damage to Onuf's nucleus-pudendal network following spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) causes taste bud degeneration or not.

Methods

The study was conducted on 22 fertile male rabbits who were divided into three groups: control (GI; n = 5), SHAM (GII; n = 5) and study (GIII; n = 12). Isotonic solution, .7 cm³, for the SHAM, and .7 cm³ homologous blood was injected into spinal subarachnoid spaces at S2 level of the study group. Two weeks later, Onuf's nucleus, pudendal ganglia and the taste bud-like structures of the penile urethra were examined histopathologically. Degenerated neuron densities of Onuf's nucleus, pudendal ganglia and atrophic taste bud-like structures were estimated per mm³ and the results analyzed statistically.

Results

The mean degenerated neuron densities of taste bud-like structures, Onuf's nucleus and pudendal ganglia were estimated as 2 ± 1/mm³, 5 ± 1/mm³, 6 ± 2/mm³ in GI; 12 ± 4/mm³, 35 ± 9/mm³, 188 ± 31/mm³, in GII and 41 ± 8/mm³, 215 ± 37/mm³, 1321 ± 78/mm³, in GIII. Spinal SAH induced neurodegeneration in Onuf's nucleus, pudendal ganglia and taste bud atrophy was significantly different between GI/GII (p < .005); GII/GIII (p < .0005) and GI/GIII (p < .0001).

Conclusion

Ischemic neuronal degenerations of Onuf's nucleus and pudendal ganglia following spinal SAH lead to genital taste bud-like structure atrophy. This mechanism may be responsible for sexual anhedonia and sterility in cases with spinal cord injury, which has not been documented so far. More studies are needed.