London, Jan 9 (IANS): A strained relationship with your mother in childhood may put you at the risk of developing sexual health issues like erectile dysfunction in adulthood, a new survey demonstrates.

The survey, conducted by the Charles University in Prague, asked 960 men aged between 15 and 88 about their sexual habits like premature ejaculation and the duration of lovemaking.

They were also questioned about their relationships with their mother and the age that they fell in love, the Daily Mail reported.

The team found that "the association of poorer current sexual function with (historical) older age at first being in love might suggest some enduring conflict regarding sexuality and/or intimacy".

Regarding the relationship between men and their mothers, the researchers noted: "One explanation for this finding is that psychogenic factors (when a physical illness stems from an emotional stress) may play a more important role."

The survey also revealed that those who didn't say the 'love' word until later in life also had problems in the bedroom.

The survey, however, is not conclusive but it did suggest that there is a link between emotional issues in childhood and physical issues in later life.

The paper appeared in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.