Female Sexual Behavior

Pfaus, James G.; Jones, Sherri Lee; Flanagan‐Cato, Loretta M.; Blaustein, Jeffrey D.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-397175-3.00050-8

Cited by 48 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 649 publications

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“…In mammals, female sexual receptivity and motivation are partly controlled by estrogens acting mostly in the ventromedial hypothalamus (reviewed in (Pfaus, 2015)). Non-ovarian testosterone aromatization, and more specifically aromatization in the medial preoptic area and in the ventromedial hypothalamus, is also involved in the regulation of female sexual behavior in musk shrews, a species that engages in sexual behavior before significant ovarian steroid hormone secretion occurs (Rissman et al, 1990; Rissman et al, 1996; Veney and Rissman, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-ovarian aromatization is required to activate female sexual motivation in testosterone-treated ovariectomized quail

Bournonville

Balthazart

Ball

et al. 2016

Hormones and Behavior

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Although aromatase is expressed in both male and female brains, its functional significance in females remains poorly understood. In female quail, sexual receptivity is activated by estrogens. However it is not known whether sexual motivation is similarly estrogen-dependent and whether estrogens locally produced in the brain contribute to these behavioral responses. Four main experiments were designed to address these questions. In experiment 1 chronic treatment of females with the anti-estrogen tamoxifen decreased their receptivity, confirming that this response is under the control of estrogens. In experiment 2 chronic treatment with tamoxifen significantly decreased sexual motivation as treated females no longer approached a sexual partner. In experiment 3 (a) ovariectomy (OVX) induced a significant decrease of time spent near the male and a significantly decreased receptivity compared to gonadally intact females, (b) treatment with testosterone (OVX+T) partially restored these responses and (c) this effect of T was prevented when estradiol synthesis was inhibited by the potent aromatase inhibitor Vorozole (OVX+T+VOR). Serum estradiol concentration was significantly higher in OVX+T than in OVX or OVX+T+VOR females. Together these data demonstrate that treatment of OVX females with T increases sexual motivation and that these effects are mediated at least in part by non-gonadal aromatization of the androgen. Finally, assays of aromatase activity on brain and peripheral tissues (Experiment 4) strongly suggest that brain aromatization contributes to behavioral effects observed here following T treatment but alternative sources of estrogens (e.g. liver) should also be considered.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-ovarian aromatization is required to activate female sexual motivation in testosterone-treated ovariectomized quail

Bournonville

Balthazart

Ball

et al. 2016

Hormones and Behavior

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“…1; see e.g. Komisaruk, Beyer-Flores, & Wipple, 2006; Newman, Reiss, & Northup, 1982; Pfaus, Jones, Flanagan-Cato, & Blaustein, 2015; Salonia et al, 2010; Vance & Wagner, 1976). However, the subjective emotional and cognitive awareness of orgasm, along with its subjective experiences of pleasure, are far less coherent between men and women (e.g.…”

Section: So What Is a ‘Female Orgasm?’mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…G, G-spot; C, cervix; V, vagina; B, bladder; U, uterus. Adapted from Pfaus et al (2015) and reprinted with permission.…”

Section: So What Is a ‘Female Orgasm?’mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bottom: Wiring diagram of the sensory and autonomic pathways of the clitoral complex. Adapted from Pfaus et al (2015) and reprinted with permission.…”

Section: So What Is a ‘Female Orgasm?’mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pelvic floor contractions during orgasm produce cervicouterine contractions (Shafik, 1995) that may form part of the ‘upsuck’ mechanism that is hypothesized to aid sperm transport to the uterus. Cervical stimulation may also be critical for increased prolactin secretion from the anterior pituitary that maintains progesterone secretion from the corpora lutea that is critical for fetal implantation and growth prior to full placental formation (Pfaus et al, 2015). Thus, in addition to its potential role in reproduction, cervical stimulation itself may be a second intravaginal trigger of orgasm after the internal clitoris.…”

Section: Round 2: the Vagina Strikes Backmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms

Pfaus

Quintana

Cionnaith

et al. 2016

Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology

Self Cite

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BackgroundThe nature of a woman’s orgasm has been a source of scientific, political, and cultural debate for over a century. Since the Victorian era, the pendulum has swung from the vagina to the clitoris, and to some extent back again, with the current debate stuck over whether internal sensory structures exist in the vagina that could account for orgasms based largely on their stimulation, or whether stimulation of the external glans clitoris is always necessary for orgasm.MethodWe review the history of the clitoral versus vaginal orgasm debate as it has evolved with conflicting ideas and data from psychiatry and psychoanalysis, epidemiology, evolutionary theory, feminist political theory, physiology, and finally neuroscience.ResultsA new synthesis is presented that acknowledges the enormous potential women have to experience orgasms from one or more sources of sensory input, including the external clitoral glans, internal region around the “G-spot” that corresponds to the internal clitoral bulbs, the cervix, as well as sensory stimulation of non-genital areas such as the nipples.ConclusionsWith experience, stimulation of one or all of these triggering zones are integrated into a “whole” set of sensory inputs, movements, body positions, autonomic arousal, and partner- and contextual-related cues, that reliably induces pleasure and orgasm during masturbation and copulation. The process of integration is iterative and can change across the lifespan with new experiences of orgasm.

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Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology

et al. 2023

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This chapter provides a practical overview of reproductive and developmental toxicology, with a focus on considerations for human health risk assessment. It provides a brief overview of normal reproduction and development, as well as examples of how toxic agents may impact these processes. Default assumptions for risk assessment of reproductive and developmental toxicants are discussed, and the types of endpoints typically evaluated in animal toxicology studies and epidemiology studies are summarized. A brief overview is also provided of other data that can be useful for hazard identification of reproductive and developmental toxicants, including mechanistic and new approach methodologies, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and considerations for the risk assessment of mixtures. Testing procedures and guidelines for reproductive and developmental toxicants (including pharmaceuticals and industrial or environmental chemicals) are summarized.

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Female Sexual Behavior

Cited by 48 publications

References 649 publications

Non-ovarian aromatization is required to activate female sexual motivation in testosterone-treated ovariectomized quail

Non-ovarian aromatization is required to activate female sexual motivation in testosterone-treated ovariectomized quail

The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms

Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology

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