PSSD RESEARCH 2025
We are excited to announce a groundbreaking new research initiative for the PSSD Network, made possible through a collaboration between two leading experts in their respective fields: Professor Antonei Csoka from Howard University, Washington D.C and Professor Ashley Monks from the University of Toronto, Mississauga.
This research will focus on investigating the underlying mechanisms of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, aiming to provide critical insights into its pathophysiology. Furthermore, we plan to continue supporting the works of Professor Roberto Melcangi at the University of Milan.
Professor Anteoni Csoka
Assistant professor of the Department of Anatomy at Howard University, Washington DC.
Professor Ashley Monks
Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Mississauga.
Professor Csoka, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Director of the Epigenetics Lab at Howard University, brings expertise in cellular and molecular biology, with a particular focus on how changes at the cellular level impact health outcomes.
Dr. Csoka holds a PhD in Cellular and Mollecular Biology from the University of Debrecen, Hungary. While working as a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University, Dr. Csoka was part of the team that discovered the gene responsible for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (Progeria), a condition characterized by features of accelerated aging. This discovery has offered valuable insights into the processes underlying normal aging. His expertise will facilitate research that will help explore the potential genetic and epigenetic biochemical mechanisms that may be at play in PSSD.
Additionally, Professor Monks, a renowned expert in the neurobiology of sexual behaviour, earning his PhD from Simon Fraser University where his research was the first to demonstrate that sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, play a role in regulating N-cadherin expression within the central nervous system.
Dr. Monks brings a wealth of knowledge in understanding how neurological processes influence sexual function, evidenced by his recent paper titled: Reward of tactile genital stimulation is sexually equivalent, but mechanistically differentiated in mice. His work is crucial for uncovering the complex neurobiological factors that may contribute to PSSD.
By combining the specialized skills and perspectives of both researchers, this collaboration is poised to make significant strides towards a greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism driving PSSD.
Their combined expertise also positions us well to lay the groundwork for our ultimate target of developing of focused, effective treatments. The fundraiser for this project is currently set to $46,000 USD for the preliminary research.
Our community has already proven that we are more than capable of obtaining the funds to get this project underway promptly. We are optimistic that sufficient preliminary research may allow us to access research grants that could fund the remainder of the project.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:
We plan to conduct this research in two phases, with the goal of identifying brain regions involved in the neurobiological processing of sexual function that are impacted by SSRIs, both during treatment and, more importantly, after discontinuation of SSRIs.
PHASE 1:
Professor Monks and his team have been researching the neural and hormonal basis of sexual responses to tactile genital stimulation in animal models, and we believe that this approach might be productively used to examine the impact of SSRI treatment on sexual sensation.
Research previously funded by the PSSD Network and lead by Dr. Melcangi at the University of Milan developed a male PSSD rat model using sub-chronic paroxetine, identifying candidate brain genes affected by this treatment. We propose to build on this work to evaluate sexual and neural responses of both sexes to genital stimulation.
The genital stimulation used in animal models is normally rewarding, and this research aims to determine how prior SSRI treatment affects this reward by using immunohistochemistry for FOS. This method involves preparing tissue sections of specific brain regions and staining them with antibodies against the FOS protein, an immediate early gene expressed by neurons during strong activation. Mapping neural activity in this way can reveal areas affected by SSRI treatment. This is a standard research approach in behavioural neuroscience and has been extensively used to characterise brain activity in rats following sexual behaviour (including genital stimulation).
In this project, SSRI treatment and genital stimulation will be used to measure neural activation with FOS and assess reward using the conditioned place paradigm (CPP). Genital stimulation engages neural circuits that mediate sexual behaviour, from reward and motivation to genital sensation. Monks et al. will investigate how prior SSRI treatment alters these neural responses, with a particular focus on the patterns revealed through CPP.
PHASE 2:
An additional aim of the research is to examine whether epigenetic changes have occurred within the hypothalamus following SSRI treatment.
Dr. Csoka will complete a genomic and epigenetic analysis using tissue samples that have shown changes identified by Monks et al.
Dr Csoka and his lab will identify changes in DNA methylation in the samples provided by Dr. Monks using MeDIP-Seq combined with lncRNA promoter analysis. The MeDIP-Seq will identify DNA methylation (5mC) changes across the entire genome, while the lncRNA promoter analysis will identify methylation changes in long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The latter play regulatory roles in various biological processes such as development, disease, and cellular homeostasis. By combining MeDIP-Seq with lncRNA promoter analysis we will obtain a comprehensive picture of epigenetic changes caused by the SSRI treatment.
The focus will not be on specific genes such as the serotonin transporter (SERT) or the androgen receptor (AR) at this point, but rather perform a screen of the entire genome. Specific targets identified can then be subjected to further analysis.
ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION:
Building on this groundbreaking research, we plan to implement the FOS immunohistochemistry method to further advance the work of Professor Roberto Melcangi at the University of Milan. A portion of the funding will support a member of Dr. Monks’ team in collaborating directly with Professor Melcangi’s lab in Milan, utilising the genital stimulation techniques established in this study. This collaboration is essential for determining whether both research approaches reveal consistent patterns of neural activation and changes, providing critical insights into the underlying mechanisms of PSSD.