Genital and Subjective Sexual Arousal in Postmenopausal Women: Influence of Laboratory-induced Hyperventilation

Abstract

The current study was aimed at comparing genital and subjective sexual arousal in pre- and postmenopausal women and exploring the effects of heightened sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity on these parameters. Seventy-one women (25 young and premenopausal, 25 postmenopausal, and 21 age-matched premenopausal women) participated in two counterbalanced sessions consisting of genital arousal assessment with vaginal photoplethysmography and subjective arousal assessment with self-report questionnaires. SNS activity was enhanced using laboratory-induced hyperventilation. Results demonstrated no significant differences between pre- and postmenopausal women on genital and subjective measures of arousal in response to neutral and erotic films. SNS manipulation increased genital excitement only in young, premenopausal women. These data suggest that prior SNS enhancement can differentiate pre- from postmenopausal genital arousal. Data also revealed significant correlations between genital and subjective sexual arousal in older pre- and postmenopausal women, but not in young premenopausal women. These data are the first to directly compare genital-subjective correlations between pre- and postmenopausal women.

An Evaluation of the Validity of Thermography as a Physiological Measure of Sexual Arousal in a Non-University Adult Sample

“…The relationship between women's physiological and subjective sexual arousal has been controversial (Brotto & Gorzalka, 2002;Laan & Janssen, 2007;Rellini et al, 2005). Our study on younger participants, however, demonstrated a significant relationship for both men and women, though not during the first 5 min of testing for women (Kukkonen et al, 2007).…”

Laboratory-Induced Hyperventilation Differentiates Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Subtypes

“…For example, plasma norepinephrine has been shown to correlate with increases in sexual arousal, reaching a peak during orgasm (Exton et al, 1999). Using vaginal photoplethysmography, there were facilitatory effects on sexual arousal of both pharmacological agents (Meston & Heiman, 1998;Rosen, Phillips, Gendrano, & Ferguson, 1999;Rubio-Aurioles et al, 2002) and non-pharmacological interventions (Brotto & Gorzalka, 2002;Meston & Gorzalka, 1995, 1996a, 1996bPalace & Gorzalka, 1990), which increase SNS activity. Meston, Gorzalka, and Wright (1997) found that clonidine, a selective a 2 -adrenergic agonist which inhibits SNS activity, inhibited genital arousal.…”

“…Croix, Satoh, Morgan, Skatrud, & Dempsey, 1999) and produces SNS predominance for at least 7 min (Achenbach-Ng, Siao, Mavroudakis, Chiappa, & Kiers, 1994), was used to enhance SNS activity in the current study. LIH has previously been found to significantly facilitate genital sexual arousal in sexually healthy premenopausal women (Brotto & Gorzalka, 2002).…”

“…Based on the literature that (1) heightened SNS activity significantly facilitates genital arousal in sexually healthy premenopausal women (Brotto & Gorzalka, 2002;Meston & Gorzalka, 1995, 1996b and in premenopausal women with low desire (Meston & Gorzalka, 1996a), (2) pharmacologic agents which enhance SNS activity increase genital arousal in women with SAD diagnosed according to the DSM-IV-TR Rubio-Aurioles et al, 2002), and (3) agents which decrease SNS activity result in inhibited genital arousal in sexually healthy women (Meston et al, 1997), it seems reasonable to explore the effects of heightened SNS activity on genital arousal in women with different subtypes of SAD, diagnosed according to the recently proposed definitions . Laboratory-induced hyperventilation (LIH), a technique that reliably facilitates SNS activity (George et al, 1989;Olsen et al, 1998;St.…”

Women's sexual dysfunction: revised and expanded definitions

“…26 Another important finding is that the robust correlation seen in men between subjective arousal and genital congestion (erection) is not seen in women. [27][28][29][30] Rather, sexual arousal in women is more strongly modulated by thoughts and emotions triggered by the state of sexual excitement. 31 In women, photoplethysmography can be used to measure vaginal vasocongestion and hence to gauge physiological arousal.…”