Editing Libido (section)

=== Endogenous compounds ===
{{See also|Sexual motivation and hormones}}
Libido is governed primarily by activity in the [[mesolimbic pathway|mesolimbic dopamine pathway]] ([[ventral tegmental area]] and [[nucleus accumbens]]).<ref name="MEDRS review" /> Consequently, [[dopamine]] and related [[trace amine]]s (primarily [[phenethylamine]])<ref name="Miller">{{cite journal | author = Miller GM | title = The emerging role of trace amine-associated receptor 1 in the functional regulation of monoamine transporters and dopaminergic activity | journal = J. Neurochem. | volume = 116 | issue = 2 | pages = 164–176 |date=January 2011 | pmid = 21073468 | pmc = 3005101 | doi = 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.07109.x }}</ref> that modulate dopamine neurotransmission play a critical role in regulating libido.<ref name="MEDRS review">{{cite journal |vauthors=Fisher HE, Aron A, Brown LL | title = Romantic love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice | journal = Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. | volume = 361 | issue = 1476 | pages = 2173–86 |date=December 2006 | pmid = 17118931 | pmc = 1764845 | doi = 10.1098/rstb.2006.1938 }}</ref>

Other neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and sex hormones that affect sex drive by modulating activity in or acting upon this pathway include:
* [[Testosterone]]<ref name="MEDRS review" /> (directly correlated) – and other [[androgen]]s<ref name="Lichterman" /><ref name="pmid20920505">{{cite journal |vauthors=Harding SM, Velotta JP | title = Comparing the relative amount of testosterone required to restore sexual arousal, motivation, and performance in male rats | journal = Horm Behav | volume = 59 | issue = 5 | pages = 666–73 |date=May 2011 | pmid = 20920505 | doi = 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.09.009 | s2cid = 1577450 }}</ref><ref name="Davis_2008">{{cite journal |vauthors=Davis SR, Moreau M, Kroll R, Bouchard C, Panay N, Gass M, Braunstein GD, Hirschberg AL, Rodenberg C, Pack S, Koch H, Moufarege A, Studd J | title = Testosterone for low libido in postmenopausal women not taking estrogen | journal = N. Engl. J. Med. | volume = 359 | issue = 19 | pages = 2005–17 |date=November 2008 | pmid = 18987368 | doi = 10.1056/NEJMoa0707302 | s2cid = 181727 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last = Renneboog B |title = [Andropause and testosterone deficiency: how to treat in 2012?] |journal = [[Revue Médicale de Bruxelles]] |volume = 33 |pages = 443–9 |year = 2012 |pmid=23091954 |issue = 4}}</ref>
* [[Estrogen]]<ref name="MEDRS review" /> (directly correlated) – and related female sex hormones<ref name = "DeLamater&Sill2005">{{cite journal |last1= DeLamater|first1=J.D. |last2=Sill |first2=M.|year=2005 |title=Sexual Desire in Later Life |journal=The Journal of Sex Research |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=138–149 |doi=10.1080/00224490509552267|pmid=16123844 |s2cid=15894788 }}</ref><ref name="pmid21514299">{{cite journal |vauthors=Heiman JR, Rupp H, Janssen E, Newhouse SK, Brauer M, Laan E | title = Sexual desire, sexual arousal and hormonal differences in premenopausal US and Dutch women with and without low sexual desire | journal = Horm. Behav. | volume = 59 | issue = 5 | pages = 772–779 |date=May 2011 | pmid = 21514299 | doi = 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.03.013| s2cid = 20807391 }}</ref><ref name= "pmid16037752">{{cite journal |vauthors=Warnock JK, Swanson SG, Borel RW, Zipfel LM, Brennan JJ | title = Combined esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone versus esterified estrogens alone in the treatment of loss of sexual interest in surgically menopausal women | journal = Menopause | volume = 12 | issue = 4 | pages = 359–60 | year = 2005 | pmid = 16037752 | doi = 10.1097/01.GME.0000153933.50860.FD | s2cid = 24557071 }}</ref><ref name="Ziegler-51-p1-2" /><ref>{{cite journal|last=Simerly |first=Richard B. |title=Wired for reproduction: organization and development of sexually dimorphic circuits in the mammalian forebrain |journal=Annu. Rev. Neurosci. |volume=25 |pages=507–536 |date=2002-03-27 |url=http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/neuroscience/BehavioralNeuroscience/Simerley-EFR-1-4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001223447/http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/neuroscience/BehavioralNeuroscience/Simerley-EFR-1-4.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date= 2008-10-01 |doi= 10.1146/annurev.neuro.25.112701.142745 |pmid=12052919 |access-date= 2007-03-07 }}</ref>
* [[Progesterone]]<ref name="Ziegler-51-p1-2">Ziegler, T. E. (2007). Female sexual motivation during non-fertile periods: a primate phenomenon. Hormones and Behavior, 51(1), 1–2</ref> (inversely correlated)
* [[Oxytocin]]<ref name= "Oxytocinergic circuit">{{cite journal |vauthors=McGregor IS, Callaghan PD, Hunt GE | title = From ultrasocial to antisocial: a role for oxytocin in the acute reinforcing effects and long-term adverse consequences of drug use? | journal = Br. J. Pharmacol. | volume = 154 | issue = 2 | pages = 358–368 |date=May 2008 | pmid = 18475254 | pmc = 2442436 | doi = 10.1038/bjp.2008.132 | quote = Recent evidence suggests that popular party drugs such as MDMA and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) may preferentially activate brain oxytocin systems to produce their characteristic prosocial and prosexual effects. Oxytocin interacts with the mesolimbic dopamine system to facilitate sexual and social behaviour, and this oxytocin-dopamine interaction may also influence the acquisition and expression of drug-seeking behaviour.}}</ref> (directly correlated)
* [[Serotonin]]<ref name="dop and nor"/><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Hu XH, Bull SA, Hunkeler EM, etal |title=Incidence and duration of side effects and those rated as bothersome with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment for depression: patient report versus physician estimate |journal=The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |volume=65 |issue=7 |pages= 959–65 |date=July 2004 |pmid= 15291685 |doi= 10.4088/JCP.v65n0712}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Landén M, Högberg P, Thase ME |title=Incidence of sexual side effects in refractory depression during treatment with citalopram or paroxetine |journal=The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |volume=66 |issue=1 |pages=100–6 |date=January 2005 |pmid=15669895 |doi=10.4088/JCP.v66n0114}}</ref> (inversely correlated)
* [[Norepinephrine]]<ref name="dop and nor">{{cite journal |author=Clayton AH |title=The pathophysiology of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women |journal=Int J Gynaecol Obstet |volume=110 |issue=1 |pages=7–11 |date=July 2010 |pmid=20434725 |doi=10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.02.014 |s2cid=29172936 }}</ref> (directly correlated)
* [[Acetylcholine]]<ref>''Int J Impot Res''. 2000 Oct;12 Suppl 4:S26-33.</ref>

==== Sex hormone levels and the menstrual cycle ====
A woman's desire for sex is correlated to her [[menstrual cycle]], with many women experiencing a heightened sexual desire in the several days immediately before [[ovulation]],<ref>{{cite journal| first1=Susan B. | last1= Bullivant |first2= Sarah A.| last2= Sellergren | first3= Kathleen |last3= Stern |title=Women's sexual experience during the menstrual cycle: identification of the sexual phase by noninvasive measurement of luteinizing hormone |journal=Journal of Sex Research |date=February 2004 |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=82–93 (in online article, see pp.14–15, 18–22) |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F00224490409552216 |pmid=15216427 |doi=10.1080/00224490409552216 |s2cid=40401379 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070923001735/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2372/is_1_41/ai_n6032944 |archive-date=2007-09-23 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> which is her peak fertility period, which normally occurs two days before and until two days after the ovulation.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.duofertility.com/en/my-body/my-cycle/my-fertile-period.html |title=My Fertile Period| website= DuoFertility.com| date= | publisher= |access-date= 2008-09-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221225600/http://www.duofertility.com/en/my-body/my-cycle/my-fertile-period.html |archive-date=2008-12-21 }}</ref> This cycle has been associated with changes in a woman's [[testosterone]] levels during the menstrual cycle. According to Gabrielle Lichterman, testosterone levels have a direct impact on a woman's interest in sex. According to her, testosterone levels rise gradually from about the 24th day of a woman's menstrual cycle until ovulation on about the 14th day of the next cycle, and during this period the woman's desire for sex increases consistently. The 13th day is generally the day with the highest testosterone levels. In the week following ovulation, the testosterone level is the lowest and as a result women will experience less interest in sex.<ref name= "Lichterman">{{cite book| title=28 Days: What Your Cycle Reveals about Your Love Life, Moods, and Potential| first= Gabrielle|last=Lichterman| isbn= 978-1-59337-345-0| date= November 2004| publisher= Adams Media Corporation}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=October 2015}}

Also, during the week following ovulation, [[progesterone]] levels increase, resulting in a woman experiencing difficulty achieving [[orgasm]]. Although the last days of the menstrual cycle are marked by a constant testosterone level, women's libido may get a boost as a result of the thickening of the [[Endometrium|uterine lining]] which stimulates [[nerve endings]] and makes a woman feel aroused.<ref name="C">{{cite web |url=http://www.emaxhealth.com/48/4247.html |title=Women Can Now Predict When They Will Have The Best Sex | website= emaxhealth.com |access-date=July 28, 2010 |archive-date=July 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705133933/https://www.emaxhealth.com/48/4247.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also, during these days, [[estrogen]] levels decline, resulting in a decrease of [[vaginal lubrication|natural lubrication]].

Although some specialists disagree with this theory, [[menopause]] is still considered by the majority a factor that can cause decreased sexual desire in women. The levels of estrogen decrease at menopause and this usually causes a lower interest in sex and vaginal dryness which makes sex painful. However, the levels of testosterone increase at menopause and this may be why some women may experience a contrary effect of an increased libido.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Shearer|first1=Jasmin L|last2= Salmons|first2=Nabeel|last3=Murphy|first3=Damian J|last4= Gama|first4= Rousseau|date=January 2017| title= Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism: the under-recognized value of inhibins| journal=Annals of Clinical Biochemistry| language=en-US| volume= 54| issue= 1|pages=174–177| doi= 10.1177/0004563216656873|pmid=27278937|issn=0004-5632|doi-access= free}}</ref>