Drugs to treat sexual dysfunction are becoming more and more popular and yet a new study suggests that a person’s desire, arousal and functioning are part of one’s genetic makeup. Until now, scientists have not been able to determine why there is so much variation in sexual drive among individuals; it now seems as though it is in our DNA and not part of nurture and our environments.

One hundred forty-eight university students were questioned regarding their individual sexual arousal functioning and sexual desire in commonly occurring situations. These answers were then compared with the subject’s gene sequencing variations and the “D4” receptor.

Research shows that the “D4” receptor, which has to do with the release of the hormone dopamine, is consistent with the subject’s answers and the variation of this gene. One common variation appeared to suppress sex drive while another increased and improved sexual function.

This research suggests there may be a lot of mismatched sexual partnering. It also suggests that sexual dysfunction may in many cases not be dysfunction at all but instead a normal genetic variation.

The study was a group effort by scientists from Hebrew University and Ben Gurion University in Israel.