The Department of Justice is investigating whether "sexual arousal studies" were performed on disabled patients in Iowa.

An investigation into the Glenwood Resource Center in Iowa is meant to determine whether intellectually disabled people were part of a sexual research study.

"The DOJ investigation of Glenwood Resource Center related to ‘human subject experiments’ is focused on ‘optimal hydration’ under the ‘Perfect Care Index,’ and ‘sexual arousal studies," said Matt Highland, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Human Services.

"While we are still gathering the facts, we will investigate and address every allegation," Highland said. The allegations include assertions that mentally disabled people were submitted to testing of human sexuality.

Officials from the DHS said that the head of the department, Jerry Rea, was placed on administrative leave as of Monday. Rea had previously filed a patent "for detecting and monitoring the sexual arousal of an individual," according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.