Smaller volume and altered functional connectivity of the amygdala in patients with lifelong premature ejaculation

Objectives To analyze the abnormal amygdala structure and function in lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) patients compared with healthy controls (HCs). Methods Forty-four lifelong PE patients and thirty-one HCs were enrolled in this study. Each subject was diagnosed with PE using a Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) score. Based on t-tests and Pearson correlation analysis, the voxel-based morphometry and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to evaluate brain structural and functional changes by using T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results Lifelong PE patients had decreased gray matter volume in the bilateral amygdala and increased FC between the amygdala and precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and middle temporal cortex (MTC), as well as decreased FC between the amygdala and precentral gyrus, insula, and inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, significantly negative correlations between the IELT score and the mean z-score from amygdala-MTC (r = −0.49) and amygdala-PCC (r = −0.48) FC were found in lifelong PE patients. Conclusions Our study investigated the abnormal amygdala-related structure and connectivity patterns in PE patients, which might provide novel perspective for understanding the crucial role of the amygdala in the neural mechanism of PE. Key Points • As one of the most common diseases in men, PE may be related to abnormal brain mechanisms. • Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging used to explore amygdala abnormalities in PE patients. • The correlation between clinical scores and functional connectivity was used to assess the reasonability of the results.