Objective: Vaginismus (VGN) is defined as recurrent or persistent involuntary spasm in muscles of the outer one third of the vagina that prevents coitus, using the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). VGN is classified as primary (P-VGN) if it has been present since the start of sexual function and secondary VGN if it follows a normal sexual function period. Based on the hypothesis that a neurobiological predisposition might be the cause of P-VGN, P-VGN-diagnosed patients and a healthy control group were compared in terms of P50 sensory gating.
Method: A total of 35 patients between the ages of 17-38, who were diagnosed to have P-VGN and 29 healthy volunteers matched for age and gender underwent P50 recording in the neurophysiology laboratory and the results were compared.
Results: When the P-VGN group and control group were compared in terms of the P50 sensory gating values, the P-VGN group's P50 gating ratio (p= 0.047), p50 amplitude difference (p= 0.0001) and S1 amplitude (p= 0.002) were significantly lower than the control group.
Conclusions: Sensory gating is required in filtering the stimuli transmitted to brain and the reduced formation of an appropriate behavioral response in the P-VGN group can lead to a perception of excessive and unrelated stimuli coming from internal and external environments during sexual activity and interpreting these as a stress factor exceeding the "capacity to cope".