Female sexual arousal and the law of initial value: assessment at several phases of the menstrual cycle

An evaluation of the effects of the transobturator tape procedure on sexual satisfaction in women with stress urinary incontinence using the libido scoring system

Introduction and Hypothesis. Most women experience automatic urine leakage in their lifetimes. SUI is the most common type in women. Suburethral slings have become a standard surgical procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence when conservative therapy failed. The treatment of stress urinary incontinence by suburethral sling may improve body image by reducing urinary leakage and may improve sexual satisfaction. Methods. A total of 59 sexually active patients were included in the study and underwent a TOT outside-in procedure. The LSS was applied in all patients by self-completion of questionnaires preoperatively and 6 months after the operation. General pleasure with the operation was measured by visual analogue score (VAS). Pre- and postoperative scores were recorded and analyzed using SPSS 11.5. Results. Two parameters of the LSS, orgasm and who starts the sexual activity, increased at a statistically significant rate. Conclusion. Sexual satisfaction and desire have partially improved after the TOT procedure.

Brain activation evoked by erotic films varies with different menstrual phases: an fMRI study

In humans, fluctuating hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle are believed to regulate many cyclical sexual behaviors and motivational processes. However, there is a dearth of research investigating the neural correlates of this phenomenon. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify brain regions involved in sexual arousal's regulatory process. Fifteen female participants were scanned while viewing erotic film excerpts at three time points during a single menstrual cycle: ovulation, menstruation, and at one additional time point. Tripled two-group differences analysis revealed that significant activation in the comparison was observed in non-ovulatory phases of the menstrual cycle in parts of the right inferior frontal gyrus, right lateral occipital cortex, and left postcentral gyrus, as well as in the bilateral superior parietal lobule. Thus, our results indicate that brain activity differs in the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle compared to during other menstrual phases. This finding provides neurological evidence for the ovulatory cycle's modulation of the processing of the sexual arousal in female human brain.

Interaction of organic and psychological factors in persistent genital arousal disorder in women: a report of six cases

Summary

There have been a number of case reports published recently describing women who complain of persistent genital arousal. Most of these papers do not report medical data or observations from genital examination. We report in such detail on six cases of persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) in women. We further advance the hypothesis that in many cases the objective genital component may be induced by a variety of psychophysiological and pathological factors such as anxiety, genital prolapses and dermatoses. Genital engorgement so produced may not be continuous but when present may be enhanced and perpetuated by both anxiety focussed on the genitals and masturbation used in an attempt to relieve the sensations. Premorbid affective psychological illness negatively colours the subjective perception of this genital engorgement, leading to either elicitation or maintenance of PGAD. We discuss this hypothesis in relation to our six cases.

The impact of anxiety on sexual arousal in women

This study examined the impact of state anxiety, trait anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity on physiological and self-report measures of sexual arousal and sexual function in a non-clinical sample of women. Physiological sexual responses to an erotic stimulus were assessed using vaginal photoplethysmography, and subjective reactions were measured using questionnaires. Results suggested a curvilinear relationship between state anxiety and physiological sexual arousal (vaginal pulse amplitude; VPA). Trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity were correlated with self-reported sexual arousal outside the laboratory. The findings may be interpreted in light of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) influences on sexual arousal and potential cognitive interference mechanisms associated with anxiety.