Graziottin A. Serafini A.
HPV infection in women: psychosexual impact of genital warts and intraepithelial lesions
The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009 Mar; 6 (3): 633-645

Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most commonly occurring sexually transmitted viral infection in humans. HPV is a wide family of DNA viruses which may cause benign skin and mucosal tumors (genital, anal or oral warts), or malignant cancers in different organs. Women are more susceptible to the oncogenic effect of HPVs, mostly at the genital site and on the uterine cervix.
The literature on HPVs is substantial and increasing. However, research investigating the relationship between HPV infections and sexual dysfunctions in women is limited...

Graziottin A. Serafini A.
Depression and the menopause: why antidepressants are not enough?
Menopause International 2009; 15: 76–81

The current evidence contributes to a re-reading of the relationship between menopause and mood disorders. Estrogen fluctuations and loss contribute to mild-moderate depression. Estrogens loss modulate some specific characteristics of postmenopausal major depression, such as the insidious onset, the severity of course, the reduced response to conventional antidepressants in comparison to the premenopausal year...

Graziottin A. Serafini A.
Testosterone substitution therapy and women's sexual health
European Endocrinology, Vol. 4, Issue 1, 2008, p. 73-76

Testosterone therapy is of growing interest because of its increasingly recognised role in sexual and mental health, bone and muscle trophism and vitality. An expanding body of evidence supports the influence of testosterone on sexuality, with the focus on desire and central (mental) arousal. This is more evident in women who have undergone oophorectomy and, therefore, have a complex symptomatology (sexual and non-sexual), secondary to the loss of ovarian androgens...

Graziottin A.
HPV infection in women: clinical consequences, psychosexual impact and the chances of prevention
Italian Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2009, 21, 3, 141-151

The HR-HPVs (High Risk Human Papillomavirus) have been casually related to several cancers in human (cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal), and the LR-HPVs (Low Risk Human Papillomavirus) types related mainly to a benign sexually transmitted disease: genital warts...

Graziottin A. Giraldi A.
Anatomy and physiology of women's sexual function
in: Porst H. Buvat J. (Eds), ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine) Standard Committee Book, Standard practice in Sexual Medicine, Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 2006, p. 289-304

The re-reading of women’s anatomy and physiology with the clinical perspective of an updated sexual medicine is a necessary pre-requisite for a better understanding of biological contributors of women’s sexual function and dysfunction...

Graziottin A.
Mast cells and their role in sexual pain disorders
in: Goldstein A. Pukall C. Goldstein I. (Eds), Female Sexual Pain Disorders: Evaluation and Management, Blackwell Publishing 2009, p. 176-179

Understanding the role of mast cells in the pathophysiology of local inflammation is critical if physicians hope to move from symptomatic, late interventions in conditions such as provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) to etiologically based multimodal treatments. Mast cells play a significant role as the sophisticated directors of the immune and inflammatory response; they can influence a positive or negative outcome, according to genetic, local, and contextual factors. Physicians can change the natural history of many inflammatory conditions that lead to chronic and aggressive pain disorders if they consider the critical role of mast cells and intervene in two ways...

Giraldi A. Graziottin A.
Sexual arousal disorders in women
in: Porst H. Buvat J. (Eds), ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine) Standard Committee Book, Standard practice in Sexual Medicine, Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 2006, p. 325-333

Arousal disorders with impaired arousal response can be defined as genital, subjective or combined arousal disorder. The prevalence varies and is increased with increasing age, especially at the time of menopause. Arousal disorders are often comorbid with desire disorder or orgasm and pain disorders...

Banner L. Whipple B. Graziottin A.
Sexual aversion disorders in women
in: Porst H. Buvat J. (Eds), ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine) Standard Committee Book, Standard practice in Sexual Medicine, Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 2006, p. 320-324

Physical intimacy in a relationship is a dynamic process in which sexual motivation is the willingness to behave sexually with a partner. This intimacy can be perceived as too frightening and can increase anxiety for some women to an overwhelming point of sexual avoidance.
Defined as “severe anxiety or disgust at the thought of sexual activity”, sexual aversion disorder has many, often interrelated, causes. Incest, molestation, rape and psychological abuse are often factors resulting in a woman developing complete avoidance of physical intimacy and revulsion at the thought of sexual touch...

Graziottin A.
Hormonal therapy after menopause
in: Porst H. Buvat J. (Eds), ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine) Standard Committee Book, Standard practice in Sexual Medicine, Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 2006, p. 362-373

Menopause is characterized by the exhaustion of the ovarian production of oocytes, estrogens and progesterone, with consequent permanent amenorrhea, anovulation and sterility. The ovarian production of testosterone is gradually reduced from the twenties onwards, but is maintained across natural menopause. It is completely lost in surgical menopause (bilateral oophorectomy).
The loss of sexual hormones has a widespread effect on all systems and organs, as virtually all cells of the female body have receptors for sexual hormones. This loss accelerates the negative multi-systemic effects of ageing, with a further detrimental effect...