Neuroscience

Volume 69, Issue 0, April 2016, Pages 1-6

Review of Sexual Arousal in the Central Nervous System

Brittany Wheeler
Department of Psychology, California State University of Fullerton, USA

ARTICLE INFO
Article history:
Received 30 March 2016
Revised 21 April 2016
Accepted 23 April 2016
Keywords:
Sexual arousal
Functional neuroimaging
Gender
Sexual orientation
Central nervous system
Highlights:
Many species experience sexual arousal.
Men exhibit greater sexual arousal in the
brain while viewing erotic stimuli.
Category specific patterns are stronger in
men regardless of sexual orientation.

Introduction
The central nervous system, comprised

ABSTRACT
The multidimensional process of sexual
arousal has been studied in various ways over
the course of history. While still in the early
stages, fMRI technology is now being used to
examine activity in the brain during sexual
arousal. This technology has shown that men
display more arousal to erotic media and that
they are more category specific than women
regardless of sexual orientation even though the
sexual arousal activates a majority of the same
brain areas.

must determine if that stimulus is sexual,

become motivated to enact a sexual goal, and

of the brain and spinal cord, is highly

the body must display physical sensations of

mysterious, and current research has only begun

arousal such as increased cardiovascular,

to scratch the surface of its complexity. New

respiratory, and genital activity for sexual

technology, however, is furthering our

arousal to occur (Karama et al., 2002). Because

understanding of this system especially in the

of this multidimensional nature, sexual arousal

field of human sexual arousal. External stimuli

has been measured in a variety of ways such as

along with cognitive, emotional, motivational,

self-report, penial and vaginal plethysmographs,

and physiological components combine to

positron emission tomography (PET), and

create the experience of sexual arousal (Karama

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

et al., 2002). When a stimulus occurs, a person

(Hyde & DeLamater, 2013). Although still in

the early stages, researchers are taking

whether or not sexual activity occurred.

advantage of these technologies to provide key

Although mammals cannot hold a monopoly on

insights into sexual arousal in different species,

sexual arousal, they have been the main target

genders, and sexual orientations.

for these types of studies with humans being the

Animal Studies

ideal test subjects.

Sexual arousal was once believed to be a

mammalian trait since visible signs of sexual

Gender Differences
Studies performed by Karama et al.

arousal such as vaginal lubrication and erections

(2002) and Wehrum et al. (2013) analyzed

were not found in other species. However,

neurological activation in the brain in both

research on Japanese quails has shown that

genders. However, they utilized different forms

certain behavioral and physiological traits can

of stimuli. Karama et al. (2002) showed

be used to identify sexual arousal in other

participants erotic and neutral films, while

species (Ball & Balthazart, 2010). Before and

Wehrum et al. (2013) showed participants

after males were shown female quails, a dialysis

sexual, neutral, and emotionally charged

probe was inserted into the medial preoptic area

images. These stimuli were chosen after

of the male quails to extract cerebral fluid (Ball

extensive pre-study analyses to determine if the

& Balthazart, 2010). Males displayed increases

films and images could accurately measure

in dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is required

sexual responses. Additionally, analyses were

for successful copulation in mammals when

performed to determine if the participants were

they were shown female quails (Ball &

free of neurological or sexual disorders that

Balthazart, 2010). The levels returned to the

could potentially alter results. After the various

baseline when the female was removed.

stimuli were chosen, fMRIs were used to

However, these levels increased regardless of

provide detailed images of activity occurring in

when looking at sexual images and there was

the brain.

stronger neurological activation when looking at

Karama et al. (2002) discovered that the

them (Wehrum et al, 2013). However, both men

prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the

and women showed activation in the

anterior cingulate cortex, the insular cortex, and

hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens, and

the occipitotemporal cortex are activated in both

orbitofrontal area (Wehrum et al, 2013). This

genders when viewing erotic stimuli. However,

might be due to alteration in fMRI technique or

only male participants showed activation in the

improvements in technology that occurred since

thalamus and hypothalamus (Karama et al,

Karama et al.s (2002) study was published.

2002). Since these two structures have been

Differences between genders occurred in the

shown to be associated with the regulation of

occipital cortex and parietal cortex which may

sexual behavior and physical arousal, higher

indicate differences in the importance allocated

activation in males could explain the significant

to visual processing and physical responses

positive correlation found in male's subjective

(Wehrum et al, 2013). While these studies

ratings of sexual arousal. The higher activation

illustrate similarities and differences in genders

from arousal leads to a sense of increase

during sexual arousal, the amount of

awareness. Since women did not display this

information they can offer is limited because

activation, it is understandable that their

sexual orientation is not examined.

awareness of their own arousal is lower.

Sexual Orientation

Wehrum et al. (2013) found similar and

Sylva et al. (2013) performed a study

contradicting results to Karama et al.s (2002)

analyzing these populations, but instead of only

research. When participants rated their own

analyzing the neurological differences between

arousal, men did report higher sexual arousal

heterosexual and homosexual men and women

during sexual arousal, category specific

fusiform gyrus, bilateral posterior

preferences were studied. Previous research has

parahippocampal cortex, and the left posterior

shown that heterosexual men are only aroused

insula (Sylva et al., 2013). When the opposite

by erotic imagery of women while homosexual

stimulus was shown, men showed more activity

men are only aroused by the erotic imagery of

in the posterior occipital cortex and the right

men (Sylva et al., 2013). Women, on the other

posterior cingulate implying that they are

hand, display arousal regardless of the focus of

focusing on identifying if the stimuli match up

the erotic imagery, but still show increased

with their preferences (Sylva et al., 2013).

arousal to match their preferences (Sylva et al.,

Women, on the other hand, when showed their

2013). Knowing this, neutral and erotic

preferred stimuli showed greater activation in

photographs of different genders were presented

the left inferior parietal and right middle

to participants while in an fMRI machine to see

temporal cortices, which are associated with

if these category specific traits would be visible

mental processing (Sylva et al., 2013). When

in brain networks dealing with visual attention,

shown the opposite stimuli, women showed

motivation, and physiological responses (Sylva

greater activity in the amygdala, thalamus,

et al., 2013). The results of the study showed

hippocampus, left midbrain, and dorsal striatum,

significant category specificity for the

which are areas that deal with positive emotions

participants preferred sex (Sylva et al., 2013).

(Sylva et al., 2013). Overall, these results

This specificity was stronger in men but was

demonstrate that while men exhibit more sexual

also significant in homosexual women (Sylva et

arousal to erotic stimuli, they are more selective

al., 2013). Men exposed to their preferred sexual

in the type of stimuli while women react

stimuli showed increased neural activity in the

positively regardless of their personal

visual cortex, Broadmann's area 17, 18, and 19,

preferences.

Conclusion
Sexual arousal is a phenomenon that is

brain areas that deal with emotional information

are also active during sexual arousal. This could

experienced by many species. Current research

cloud research because a person could feel

has shown that different genders and sexualities

positively or negatively about an image without

have both similarities and differences in how

actually feeling sexual arousal. Lastly, a

their brains process sexual arousal. While this

majority of these studies focused on fMRI

research is invaluable in understanding sexual

technology which has a limited ability to make

arousal, elaborations on the current research can

conclusions about a person's psychological

provide a deeper understanding. For example,

state. Other forms of imaging technology such

Wehrum et al. (2013) used the block method to

as PET scans or EEG may be utilized to provide

present stimuli to participants. Because of this,

a wider range of information on sexual arousal.

researchers are unable to clearly identify which

Future technology and research have the ability

type of image is causing a response since they

to build off what is known about sexual arousal

combined hardcore and softcore images.

to provide not only a deeper understanding

Additionally, it would also be beneficial to

about arousal but to unravel the mystery that is

separate the effects of positive and negative

the central nervous system.

emotions from sexual arousal since many of the

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Sylva D, Safron A, Rosenthal AM, Reber PJ, Parrish TB, Bailey JM (2013), Neural correlates of sexual
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Writing for Neuroscience which is a journal that publishes research on all aspects of neurological
research. https://www.elsevier.com/journals/neuroscience/0306-4522/guide-for-authors.