It is likely that some cases of erectile dysfunction are caused in part by genetics. But until recently, no single gene had been specifically found for a genetic link with erectile dysfunction.
Now researchers think they may have found a gene that is linked with the risk of erectile function in later life. The SIM1 gene is already known to play a part in sexual function and according to a recent report in the science journal PNAS, it could be linked to erectile dysfunction.
Thousands of DNA codes of men with erectile dysfunction were compared to the DNA codes of men without symptoms. The researchers pinpointed a region of DNA very close to the SIM1 gene where the code was more likely to be different in men with erectile dysfunction.
This discovery may help to understand the cause of erectile dysfunction in some men, and lead to new treatments to treat it.
