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Ziogas A, Habermeyer E, Santtila P, Poeppl TB, Mokros A. Neuroelectric Correlates of Human Sexuality: A Review and Meta-Analysis. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:497-596. [PMID: 32016814 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01547-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Many reviews on sexual arousal in humans focus on different brain imaging methods and behavioral observations. Although neurotransmission in the brain is mainly performed through electrochemical signals, there are no systematic reviews of the electrophysiological correlates of sexual arousal. We performed a systematic search on this subject and reviewed 255 studies including various electrophysiological methods. Our results show how neuroelectric signals have been used to investigate genital somatotopy as well as basic genital physiology during sexual arousal and how cortical electric signals have been recorded during orgasm. Moreover, experiments on the interactions of cognition and sexual arousal in healthy subjects and in individuals with abnormal sexual preferences were analyzed as well as case studies on sexual disturbances associated with diseases of the nervous system. In addition, 25 studies focusing on brain potentials during the interaction of cognition and sexual arousal were eligible for meta-analysis. The results showed significant effect sizes for specific brain potentials during sexual stimulation (P3: Cohen's d = 1.82, N = 300, LPP: Cohen's d = 2.30, N = 510) with high heterogeneity between the combined studies. Taken together, our review shows how neuroelectric methods can consistently differentiate sexual arousal from other emotional states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Ziogas
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Alleestrasse 61A, 8462, Rheinau, Switzerland.
| | - Elmar Habermeyer
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pekka Santtila
- Department of Arts & Sciences, New York University-Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Timm B Poeppl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Mokros
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology, Fern Universität in Hagen (University of Hagen), Hagen, Germany
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Amezcua-Gutiérrez C, Hernández-González M, Guasti AF, Aguilar MAC, Guevara MA. Observing Erotic Videos with Heterosexual Content Induces Different Cerebral Responses in Homosexual and Heterosexual Men. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2021; 68:138-156. [PMID: 31430230 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1648079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To determine the cerebral functionality associated with the perception and processing of erotic stimuli in men with different sexual orientation, this work evaluated the electroencephalographic activity (EEG) from several cortical areas, as well as subjective arousal in homosexual and heterosexual men during observation of an erotic film with heterosexual content. The heterosexual men rated the erotic video with higher general and sexual arousal than the homosexual participants. During observation of the neutral and erotic videos, both groups showed a decreased amplitude of the alpha band in prefrontal and parietal cortices, indicating increased attention. When watching the erotic video, the homosexual men showed an increased amplitude of the theta and fast bands only in the prefrontal cortex, which could be related to the cognitive processing of the erotic stimulus. These EEG results should broaden our knowledge of the cortical mechanisms related to the different perception and processing of erotic stimuli in men with different sexual orientations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Manuel Alejandro Cruz Aguilar
- National Institute of Psychiatry, "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Neuroscience Research Direction, Chronobiology and Sleep Laboratory , Mexico, México
| | - Miguel Angel Guevara
- Institute of Neuroscience, CUCBA, University of Guadalajara , Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
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Aguirre RMH, González MH, Hernández MP, Gutiérrez CDCA, Guevara MÁ. Observing baby or sexual videos changes the functional synchronization between the prefrontal and parietal cortices in mothers in different postpartum periods. Soc Neurosci 2020; 15:489-504. [PMID: 32402224 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2020.1761447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
During the postpartum period (PP), mothers are more sensitive to sensory stimuli related to babies and less sensitive to those with sexual significance. The processing of emotional stimuli requires synchronization among different cerebral areas. This study characterized the cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) correlation in mothers from 1½ to 3 months (PP1), 4 to 5½ months (PP2) and over 6½ months, postpartum (PP3) while observing two videos: one of a baby (BV) and one with sexual content (SV). EEGs were recorded from the frontopolar, dorsolateral and parietal cortices. All three groups rated the BV as pleasant, but only PP3 reported higher sexual arousal with the SV. While watching the BV, PP1 showed a higher correlation among all cortical areas; PP2 manifested a decreased correlation between the prefrontal and parietal cortices, likely associated with the lower emotional modulation of the BV; and PP3 presented a higher synchronization among fewer cortical areas, probably related to longer maternal experience. These cortical synchronization patterns could represent adaptive mechanisms that enable the adequate processing of baby stimuli in new mothers. These data increase our knowledge of the cerebral processes associated with distinct sensitivities to the emotional stimuli that mothers experience during the PP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa María Hidalgo Aguirre
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicología, Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara , Ameca, México.,Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara , Guadalajara, México
| | | | - Marai Pérez Hernández
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario del Norte, Universidad de Guadalajara , Guadalajara, Mexico
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Wang J, Jia Y, Shao X, Wang C, Wang W. Pure Emotion-loaded Materials in the International Affective Digitized Sounds (IADS): A Study on Intensity Ratings in Chinese University Students. CURRENT PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1573400515666190822110933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Materials loaded with pure emotion are essential for basic and clinical research
on sounds. The International Affective Digitized Sounds (IADS) is one of the widely-used
emotional tools, but its materials are not clearly labeled with specific emotions. We have hypothesized
that the IADS contains pure vectors of at least disgust, erotica (or erotism), fear, happiness,
sadness and neutral emotions.
Methods:
We therefore selected 48 IADS sounds with saturate emotions, and invited 271 male and
353 female university students to rate the intensity of the emotions conveyed in each sound. The
ratings were then analyzed with the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
Results:
Five factors were observed, namely: erotica, fear-sadness, happiness, neutrality, and disgust.
Later, as two facets, sounds of fear-sadness were separated. Thirty sounds under six facets
were finally retained with good model-fit indices and satisfactory factor internal reliabilities.
Moreover, males scored significantly higher on erotica than females did.
Conclusion:
Our study purified a series of emotion-loaded IADS sounds, which might help clarify
the pure effects of sound emotion in future research and clinical management of affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Wang
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanli Jia
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Shao
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chu Wang
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Cortes PM, Hernández-Arteaga E, Sotelo-Tapia C, Guevara MA, Medina AC, Hernández-González M. Effects of inactivation of the ventral tegmental area on prefronto-accumbens activity and sexual motivation in male rats. Physiol Behav 2019; 209:112593. [PMID: 31255646 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sexual motivation requires the processing of sexual stimuli. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) receive dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Both structures participate in processing stimuli, and their adequate functioning is modulated by dopamine and other neurotransmitters. This study was designed to determine the effect of inactivation of the VTA on sexual motivation, relative power (RP) and electroencephalographic (EEG) correlation of the PFC and NAcc in male rats. A total of 20 rats implanted with electrodes in the left medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and NAcc, and with bilateral cannulae in the VTA, were divided into two groups of 10 rats each, one injected with tetrodotoxin (TTX), the other with a vehicle solution (VEH). EEGs from the mPFC and NAcc were recorded during the awake-quiet state in the presence of either a receptive or non-receptive female. The TTX group showed a lower preference for the receptive female accompanied by a lower RP of the 8-13 and 14-30 Hz bands in the mPFC. Also, in the presence of the receptive female, the TTX group had a lower RP of the 8-13 Hz band in the NAcc, but a higher prefronto-accumbens correlation in the same band. These results provide evidence that VTA activity is necessary for the adequate functioning of the mPFC and NAcc and, therefore, also for the adequate processing of sexually-relevant stimuli that allows the induction and maintenance of sexual motivation in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Manuel Cortes
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | | | - Carolina Sotelo-Tapia
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Miguel Angel Guevara
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Andrea Cristina Medina
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
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Amezcua-Gutiérrez C, Marisela HG, Fernández Guasti A, Aguilar MAC, Guevara MA. Observing Erotic Videos With Heterosexual Content Induces Different Cerebral Responses in Homosexual and Heterosexual Men. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2018; 67:639-657. [PMID: 30526443 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2018.1550331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To determine the cerebral functionality associated with the perception and processing of erotic stimuli in men with different sexual orientation, this work evaluated the electroencephalographic activity (EEG) from several cortical areas, as well as subjective arousal in homosexual and heterosexual men during observation of an erotic film with heterosexual content. The heterosexual men rated the erotic video with higher general and sexual arousal than the homosexual participants. During observation of the neutral and erotic videos, both groups showed a decreased amplitude of the alpha band in prefrontal and parietal cortices, indicating increased attention. When watching the erotic video, the homosexual men showed an increased amplitude of the theta and fast bands only in the prefrontal cortex, which could be related to the cognitive processing of the erotic stimulus. These EEG results should broaden our knowledge of the cortical mechanisms related to the different perception and processing of erotic stimuli in men with different sexual orientations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Manuel Alejandro Cruz Aguilar
- Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Cronobiología y Sueño, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", México City, México
| | - Miguel Angel Guevara
- Institute of Neuroscience, CUCBA, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
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Amezcua-Gutiérrez C, Ruiz-Díaz M, Hernández-González M, Guevara MA, Ågmo A, Sanz-Martin A. Effect of Sexual Arousal on Cortical Coupling During Performance of the Tower of Hanoi Task in Young Men. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2017; 54:398-408. [PMID: 26836321 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2015.1130211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Sexual arousal affects cognitive processing, which depends on the coordinated functioning among cortical areas. The aim of this research was to determine whether previous observation of videos with sexual content affects the degree of cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) coupling during performance of an executive task. Cortical EEG correlations were calculated in three groups of heterosexual men under three conditions: at rest; during observation of a video with neutral, aggressive, or erotic content; and while performing the Tower of Hanoi task (TOH). Based on self-reports, it was shown that the erotic video induced general and sexual arousal, while the aggressive video affected valence and general arousal. Task performance was similar in all three groups. During performance of TOH, only the erotic group showed a decreased correlation between prefrontal areas with an increased correlation between parietal and prefrontotemporal areas, specifically in the slow bands. It is likely that these changes in the degree of cortical coupling could be associated with the cognitive strategies or functional adaptations that participants require to adequately solve the task during a state of sexual arousal. These data could contribute to improving our understanding of the central nervous mechanisms that underlie the effect of sexual arousal on the cognitive processes involved in tasks like TOH.
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Gola M, Wordecha M, Marchewka A, Sescousse G. Visual Sexual Stimuli-Cue or Reward? A Perspective for Interpreting Brain Imaging Findings on Human Sexual Behaviors. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:402. [PMID: 27574507 PMCID: PMC4983547 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing number of neuroimaging studies using visual sexual stimuli (VSS), especially within the emerging field of research on compulsive sexual behaviors (CSB). A central question in this field is whether behaviors such as excessive pornography consumption share common brain mechanisms with widely studied substance and behavioral addictions. Depending on how VSS are conceptualized, different predictions can be formulated within the frameworks of Reinforcement Learning or Incentive Salience Theory, where a crucial distinction is made between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (related to reward anticipation vs. reward consumption, respectively). Surveying 40 recent human neuroimaging studies we show existing ambiguity about the conceptualization of VSS. Therefore, we feel that it is important to address the question of whether VSS should be considered as conditioned stimuli (cue) or unconditioned stimuli (reward). Here we present our own perspective, which is that in most laboratory settings VSS play a role of reward, as evidenced by: (1) experience of pleasure while watching VSS, possibly accompanied by genital reaction; (2) reward-related brain activity correlated with these pleasurable feelings in response to VSS; (3) a willingness to exert effort to view VSS similarly as for other rewarding stimuli such as money; and (4) conditioning for cues predictive of VSS. We hope that this perspective article will initiate a scientific discussion on this important and overlooked topic and increase attention for appropriate interpretations of results of human neuroimaging studies using VSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Gola
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computations, University of California San DiegoSan Diego, CA, USA; Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wordecha
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw, Poland
| | - Guillaume Sescousse
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Electroencephalographic activity during sexual behavior: A novel approach to the analysis of drug effects on arousal and motivation relevant for sexual dysfunctions. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2014; 121:158-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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