Indigenous Koro,a genital retraction syndrome of insular Southeast Asia: A critical review

Koro, a disorder characterized by complaints of genital hyperinvolution and fear of impending death, is found to be indigenous to certain populations of insular Southeast Asia. Koro is similar to, but nevertheless distinct from, the Chinese syndrome which carries its name and serves as the transcultural prototype; the category of genital retraction syndromes is proposed as a substitute for the use of koro» as the transcultural rubric. In a review of the Koro literature, an exploration of the many possible cultural and biomedical factors is begun; the issues and perspectives are relevant to the wider study of culture speck manifestations of genital retraction.