The Effect of Temperature and Electrical Energy on Sperm Motility

Mah, Sang Yol; Choi, Young Deuk

Abstract

Electrical ejaculation is widely used for semen collection in ejaculation failure patients with various causes including spinal cord injury. Semen collected by this method show sperm with low quality, and decrease in sperm motility is especially evident; multifactors are responsible but there are some reports that electrical current and increased temperature during electrical ejaculation are the cause. To confirm this theories, we observed the direct effect of variable electrical current and temperature to the motility of normal sperm in vitro. Semen analysis was performed after temperature was maintained at 37, 39, 41, and 43 `C for 10 minutes and electrical current at 5, 10, 15, 20 Volts for 3, 7, and 10 minutes. 1. Sperm motility change with temperature: The ratio of motile sperm decreased significantly (n=32, p<0.01) from 82.20, 70.12, 60.93, 48.87% as the temperature rose 37, 39, 41, 43 `C, respectively. Factors related to motility (distribution of progressive form and rapid velocity) decreased as well and the distribution of static velocity increased. However, additional semen analysis 20 minutes after rests were not significantly different in sperm motility before and after any temperature changes. 2. Sperm change with electrical energy: The motility of the sperm decreased significantly according to increasing volts and time, which showed a time-dependent and voltage-dependent decrease. The ratio of motile sperm decreased significantly to increasing volts and time and factors related to motility (distribution of progressive form and rapid velocity) also decreased. The distribution of static velocity increased. However, additional semen analysis 20 minutes after rests were not significantly different in sperm motility before and after inducing electrical energies. These data suggest that the effect of electrical current and temperature to sperm motility is temporary and that the low quality of sperm collected by electrical ejaculation in patients with ejaculation failure may not be due to the effect of electrical ejaculation but the various conditions of the patients themselves.