Low Sexual Desire — Starting Point
Baseline circuit activity before pharmacologic intervention begins.
- ~10%: HSDD prevalence (placeholder estimate)
- Elevated: Serotonin tone (placeholder baseline)
- Low: Melanocortin tone (placeholder baseline)
- Low: Desire response (placeholder baseline)
Baseline neurocircuitry
Placeholder: excitatory and inhibitory desire pathways sit imbalanced.
Flibanserin — Daily Serotonin Modulator
Flibanserin is taken daily to rebalance serotonin receptor signaling.
- 100 mg/day: Dosing (placeholder regimen)
- Weeks: Onset (placeholder timeline)
- 5-HT1A/2A: Target (placeholder receptors)
- Multifunctional: Class (placeholder label)
Daily oral mechanism
Placeholder: drug crosses blood-brain barrier and binds serotonin receptors.
Serotonin Receptor Modulation Over Time
Gradual receptor changes accumulate with continued daily dosing.
- Agonized: 5-HT1A (placeholder direction)
- Antagonized: 5-HT2A (placeholder direction)
- ~4 wks: Full effect (placeholder timeline)
- On stop: Reversal (placeholder note)
Cumulative modulation
Placeholder: receptor tone shifts slowly across the dosing period.
Bremelanotide — On-Demand Melanocortin Agonist
Bremelanotide is self-injected shortly before anticipated activity.
- On-demand: Dosing (placeholder regimen)
- Subcutaneous: Route (placeholder route)
- MC4R: Target (placeholder receptor)
- ~45 min: Onset (placeholder timeline)
Rapid receptor engagement
Placeholder: injected drug quickly reaches hypothalamic melanocortin receptors.
Melanocortin Receptor Activation Spike
MC4R activation rises sharply then fades after the dose wears off.
- Sharp spike: Peak activation (placeholder pattern)
- Hours: Duration (placeholder timeline)
- Nausea/flushing: Side effects (placeholder note)
- 8/month: Frequency cap (placeholder limit)
Peak response window
Placeholder: desire response peaks then declines as drug clears.