Erotic films star in SAHMRI sex function study on spinal injuries

Sexy movies are the centrepiece of a world-first study in Adelaide that researchers hope can change lives for the better. And they need volunteers.

Adelaide researchers are using erotic films and specialist MRI imaging in a world-first study aimed at better understanding in real-time sexual function in adults with spinal cord injuries.

It’s hoped the findings will help drive development of interventions to improve sexual function, including new sex toys.

It is estimated about 28,000 people are now living with a spinal cord injury in Australia with almost a quarter – 23 per cent – aged under 35 and most younger than 65.

South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) head of spinal cord injury research, Dr Ryan O’Hare Doig, said sexual dysfunction, or loss of sexual function, was “a huge consequence” of the injury, in both males and females.

“If you ask individuals with a spinal cord injury, ‘what are your top priorities?’, depending on the severity of the injury, sexual function, alongside bladder and bowel function, tops the list,” he said.

“We are commonly told … if they can’t maintain healthy sexual relationships it (impacts) on their health and wellbeing, and quality of life.

“Sexual function is very important for fertility, for having children … there are all these knock-on effects of not being able to be aroused and achieve orgasm which have massive implications for someone with a spinal cord injury.”

The Adelaide-based researchers have teamed up with internationally-recognised SCI sexual health expert Professor Marcalee Sipski Alexander, from the University of Alabama in the US, as well as functional MRI (fMRI) specialist from Canada’s Queens University, Professor Patrick Stroman.

Former motocross rider Christina Vithoulkas. Picture: Simon Cross

Former motocross rider and influencer Christina Vithoulkas. Picture: Instagram

“We have developed an imaging protocol that actually allows us to image sexual function in the spine in real-time … to get a read out showing if someone’s sexual function is working, altered or not working at all,” Dr O’Hare Doig said.

The study involves scanning the brains and spines of adults with spinal cord injuries and those without, while showing participants erotic films, to stimulate arousal and monitor activation.

“We are starting to discover there may be other biological and anatomical pathways that are present that we didn’t know about, or pathways that we could harness (to allow the person) to experience and be aware of arousals – and enjoy these arousals with a partner,” Dr O’Hare Doig said.

“If we can map this out and get a greater understanding of what is happening, the consequent treatment in this largely untreated area could be huge.”

Former motocross rider and influencer Christina Vithoulkas

Former semi-professional motocross and freestyle motorbike rider Christina Vithoulkas,

who severed her spinal cord irreparably in 2018, welcomed news of the research.

“(Initially), I gave up on the idea of having a high functioning sex life … I was in hospital, paralysed and I was like, ‘can I have sex?’,” the 27-year-old influencer with more than 65,000 Instagram followers said.

“Once I started to have sex again, I was a much happier person. Life, obviously, isn’t just about sex but it is important.

“(Spinal cord injury) can literally happen to anyone – no matter your age, sex or religion, you are not invincible. It’s important we break the stereotype.”

Male and female volunteers aged between 18 and 75, with and without a spinal injury, are required for the study. To find out more contact, Dr O’Hare Doig via email [e-mail]