About Signal & Response
About Signal & Response
A Clearer Way to Make Sense of Men’s Sexual Health
A Clearer Way to Make Sense of Men’s Sexual Health
You might be curious about what affects your sex drive, why sex feels different with a partner, or whether a toy, test, or treatment is worth looking into. Sometimes something has changed, and you just want to understand why.
You might be curious about what affects your sex drive, why sex feels different with a partner, or whether a toy, test, or treatment is worth looking into. Sometimes something has changed, and you just want to understand why.
Signal & Response takes a closer look at questions like those. We dig into the research, explain what we find in plain language, and help you think about what it might mean for your own situation.
Signal & Response takes a closer look at questions like those. We dig into the research, explain what we find in plain language, and help you think about what it might mean for your own situation.
Why Signal & Response Exists
Why Signal & Response Exists
A lot of advice about sex sounds more certain than it should. Sometimes someone's trying to sell you something. Sometimes they're quick to tell you not to worry. And sometimes they offer one simple answer to a question that's actually pretty complicated.
A lot of advice about sex sounds more certain than it should. Sometimes someone's trying to sell you something. Sometimes they're quick to tell you not to worry. And sometimes they offer one simple answer to a question that's actually pretty complicated.
That can send you in the wrong direction. Something ordinary can start to look like a medical problem. A real concern can get brushed off. Or you can end up blaming a hormone level, medication, habit, or one awkward experience before considering anything else.
That can send you in the wrong direction. Something ordinary can start to look like a medical problem. A real concern can get brushed off. Or you can end up blaming a hormone level, medication, habit, or one awkward experience before considering anything else.
Signal & Response was built around a different idea: context should come before conclusions.
Signal & Response was built around a different idea: context should come before conclusions.
Sometimes there's a clear medical issue. Sometimes a treatment genuinely makes sense. Other times, pressure, expectations, or the situation you're in might be playing a bigger role. And often it's a mix of things.
Sometimes there's a clear medical issue. Sometimes a treatment genuinely makes sense. Other times, pressure, expectations, or the situation you're in might be playing a bigger role. And often it's a mix of things.
The details matter, and they're worth looking at before settling on an answer.
The details matter, and they're worth looking at before settling on an answer.
How We Approach Men’s Sexual Health
How We Approach Men’s Sexual Health
We start with the question you're actually asking. Maybe you want to understand how erections work, why desire doesn't always line up with arousal, what makes something feel good, or what a particular test or treatment can realistically do.
We start with the question you're actually asking. Maybe you want to understand how erections work, why desire doesn't always line up with arousal, what makes something feel good, or what a particular test or treatment can realistically do.
Then we look at what might be involved. Your health, sleep, medications, habits, stress, relationships, expectations, and what's happening in the moment can all affect sex.
Then we look at what might be involved. Your health, sleep, medications, habits, stress, relationships, expectations, and what's happening in the moment can all affect sex.
But just because something could be involved doesn't mean it's the answer. We look at what the research actually supports, where things aren't so clear, and why the same experience can mean different things for different people.
But just because something could be involved doesn't mean it's the answer. We look at what the research actually supports, where things aren't so clear, and why the same experience can mean different things for different people.
The same goes for questions about pleasure, toys, communication, and trying new things. Those are worth understanding, too.
The same goes for questions about pleasure, toys, communication, and trying new things. Those are worth understanding, too.
What You’ll Find Here
What You’ll Find Here
There's more than one way to find what you're looking for.
There's more than one way to find what you're looking for.
The topic pages give you a broad place to start, whether you're interested in erections and desire, relationships, masturbation, pleasure, health, or treatments.
The topic pages give you a broad place to start, whether you're interested in erections and desire, relationships, masturbation, pleasure, health, or treatments.
If you want to spend more time with a particular subject, the deep dives bring related ideas together. They cover things like performance pressure, testosterone, sleep, and why sex can feel different alone than with a partner.
If you want to spend more time with a particular subject, the deep dives bring related ideas together. They cover things like performance pressure, testosterone, sleep, and why sex can feel different alone than with a partner.
And if you've got a specific question, the essays take it on directly. Some explain how something works. Others look at experiences that are easy to misunderstand or claims that sound more certain than the research actually supports.
And if you've got a specific question, the essays take it on directly. Some explain how something works. Others look at experiences that are easy to misunderstand or claims that sound more certain than the research actually supports.
You can follow a topic as far as you'd like, or just read the one thing that brought you here.
You can follow a topic as far as you'd like, or just read the one thing that brought you here.
About the Editor
About the Editor
Nick Brennan is the founder and editor of Signal & Response.
Nick Brennan is the founder and editor of Signal & Response.
His background includes formal study in biomedical sciences, along with years spent researching and writing about men's sexual health, sexual function, treatments, behavior, relationships, and the ways people make sense of their experiences.
His background includes formal study in biomedical sciences, along with years spent researching and writing about men's sexual health, sexual function, treatments, behavior, relationships, and the ways people make sense of their experiences.
His perspective shapes the publication, but his own experiences aren't a measuring stick for what anyone else's body or sex life should look like.
His perspective shapes the publication, but his own experiences aren't a measuring stick for what anyone else's body or sex life should look like.
Medical explanations can miss what sex actually feels like in real life. Personal stories can be useful, but they don't tell you what everyone's experience should look like either.
Medical explanations can miss what sex actually feels like in real life. Personal stories can be useful, but they don't tell you what everyone's experience should look like either.
Signal & Response tries to bring those two sides together: careful research, everyday language, and room for people to have different experiences.
Signal & Response tries to bring those two sides together: careful research, everyday language, and room for people to have different experiences.
Signal & Response is an editorial publication, not a medical practice, and its content isn't a substitute for individualized medical care.
Signal & Response is an editorial publication, not a medical practice, and its content isn't a substitute for individualized medical care.
How We Handle Treatments & Recommendations
How We Handle Treatments & Recommendations
If we discuss a treatment, product, supplement, device, or provider, we're not telling you what to use. We're helping you understand what it's meant to do, what the research tells us, and where its limits are.
If we discuss a treatment, product, supplement, device, or provider, we're not telling you what to use. We're helping you understand what it's meant to do, what the research tells us, and where its limits are.
Some options really can help. Others only make sense in certain situations. And some are marketed with a lot more confidence than the evidence deserves.
Some options really can help. Others only make sense in certain situations. And some are marketed with a lot more confidence than the evidence deserves.
So the question isn't just, "Does this work?"
So the question isn't just, "Does this work?"
It's also, "What might it help with? Who is it for? And what won't it change?"
It's also, "What might it help with? Who is it for? And what won't it change?"
We'd rather help you think through a decision than make it for you.
We'd rather help you think through a decision than make it for you.