Dec 21, 2021 19:00:00

For the first time in the world, the brain region corresponding to 'stimulation to the clitoris' is mapped

It is said that sexual pleasure is obtained by the reward system that processes signals received from nerves in the brain, but it is not clear in which brain region it is specifically processed. A study by a research team at Charite University Hospital in Berlin, Germany, identified brain regions associated with contact with female organs by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and those who have more sex experience have that brain region. Turned out to be developing.

Sensory-Tactile Functional Mapping and Use-Associated Structural Variation of the Human Female Genital Representation Field | Journal of Neuroscience
https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2021/12/09/JNEUROSCI.1081-21.2021

For The First Time, Scientists Map Brain Regions Responding to The Clitoris
https://www.sciencealert.com/science-has-located-the-brain-region-that-responds-to-the-clitoris

The somatosensory cortex in the cerebrum receives and processes skin sensory information of the entire body such as tactile sensation, temperature sensation, and pain sensation. The somatosensory sensations of each part of the body correspond to different regions of the somatosensory cortex and have been gradually mapped by research.

There has been debate about in which area the somatosensory of the female genitals is performed, and the theory that it is the same part as the sole of the foot and the part that is close to the waist have been advocated. .. However, the problem was that the results were unreliable because the stimulation to the female genitals was by the fingers of oneself or a partner, and other parts of the body were touched at the same time and the stimulation method was inaccurate.

Therefore, the following equipment was used in this experiment. When this device is applied to the height of the clitoris from the top of the underwear, the red round curtain part vibrates slightly due to the injection of air, and it is possible to aim and stimulate the clitoris. John-Dylan Haynes, a researcher at the Center for Advanced Neuroimaging in Berlin at Charite University Hospital, said the device was designed to be 'as comfortable as possible' for subjects.

In the experiment, 20 healthy females aged 18 to 45 years were stimulated for 10 seconds x 8 times with a 10-second break while monitoring brain region activation by fMRI. As a control, the same device was used on the back of the right hand.

The results showed that the somatosensory cortex area corresponding to the female genitalia was as close to the waist as the male, but the exact location varied from subject to subject. We also found that the greater the number of sexual intercourses, the larger the area corresponding to the female genitals.

'Brain plasticity' has been mentioned so far that the more you use a specific part of the brain, the larger that part becomes. Past studies have also shown that genital stimulation of rats and mice enlarges certain areas of the brain. However, a 2013 study suggests that the brain region corresponding to the genitals may be smaller in the brain of a person suffering from traumatic sexual violence.

'It's unclear how to identify the areas of the brain that correspond to the female genitals and how they change in relation to the female sexual experience,' said Christine Heim, a professor of medical psychology at Charite University. In the future, the results of this experiment may be applicable to the treatment of people affected by sexual violence or suffering from sexual dysfunction. '