Erectile function is not an isolated sexual-health variable.

Because erectile function is closely connected to vascular health, changes in erections may sometimes provide information about health well beyond sexual performance.

Longitudinal data from 818 men in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging, followed from midlife into older adulthood, found that lower erectile function at baseline was associated with poorer performance in episodic memory, executive function and processing speed. Lower baseline erectile function was also associated with a faster decline in processing speed, while declines in erectile function over time were associated with declines in episodic memory.

In another longitudinal study from Taiwan, 4,153 men with newly diagnosed erectile dysfunction were followed for seven years. After adjustment for relevant characteristics and comorbidities, men with ED had a 68% higher risk of subsequently developing dementia compared with matched controls.

These findings do not mean that erectile dysfunction causes dementia. What they do suggest is that persistent or newly emerging erectile difficulties, particularly in midlife, should not automatically be reduced to a question of sexual performance.

Erectile function can be part of a broader clinical picture involving vascular, metabolic, neurological, psychological and relational health.

Sexual health is health.

References: 1- Slayday RE, Bell TR, et al. Erectile Function, Sexual Satisfaction, and Cognitive Decline in Men From Midlife to Older Adulthood. The Gerontologist. 2023;63(2):382–394. PMID: 36194190. 2- Yang CM, Shen YC, Weng SF, et al. Increased Risk of Dementia in Patients With Erectile Dysfunction: A Population-Based, Propensity Score-Matched, Longitudinal Follow-Up Study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(24):e990. PMID: 26091478.

                                                                © 2026 by Shabnam Sadigova