Physiological and psychological mechanisms in the relationship between stress and sexual response in humans

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Research on the effects of stress on sexual/reproductive function is contradictory. The dominant hypothesis states that stress is detrimental to sexual and reproductive function. Chronic stress can potentially impair sexual function in females because pregnancy is very costly in terms of energy, and because young are less likely to survive in a stressful environment. Chronic stress has also been shown to impair fertility in males, but it is unclear if it affects their sexual behavior. Physiologically, the acute stress response is designed to activate the energy resources necessary for survival and to suppress all unnecessary functions, including sexual function. While the negative effects of stress on sexual function have been demonstrated in many studies, there have also been several studies conducted with both human and non-human animal samples showing that stress can also enhance sexual response.