Monday January 9, 2006
Sedatives and sexual dreams - a legal liability?

In 1847, after a year of ether anesthesia introduction, a dentist was convicted to 6 years of jail for sexually assaulting two girls under the influence of anaesthesia. There are well documented cases where physicians and dentists have lost their licenses for similar allegation. Anaesthetics particularly propofol (widely use in ICU) has been reported to be associated with vivid dreams and sexual fantasies though a fairly good study failed to show any association.

Recently, Dr. Robert Strickland's report in this regard at the American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting has been widely reported in media and is worth reading. Click on reference # 3.


References: Click to get abstract or article
1. Anesthetics cause sex hallucinations- macleans.ca
2. Dreams, images and emotions associated with propofol anaesthesia -Anaesthesia, Volume 52, Number 8, July 1997, pp. 750-755(6)
3. Anesthesia can give rise to sex illusion - ARIZONA DAILY STAR - 06.21.2005