Sexual arousal humans

Benton, D. and Wasted, V. (1986) Effects of androstenol on human sexual arousal. Biol. Psychol. 22, 141-147. 

There also are lawlike interactions between particular emotions, such as the inhibition of interest by fear, or the enhancement of sexual arousal by love. And of course we may experience blends of affects as we contemplate or execute a course of action (see McDougall, 1923 on blends). It is well known to ethologists that blends of emotional expressions can occur in humans and animals (e.g., Lorenz, 1953, cited in Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1989). 

Humans Regulates appetite, controls depression, disorder, sleep, sexual arousal, etc. Gutierrez and Queener (2003)... 

Research suggests a sexual dimorphism that AVP is important for pair bonding in male prairie voles, while OT is important for pair bonding in female prairie voles (Insel and Hulihan, 1995). Arginine-vasopressin is secreted during sexual arousal in humans. However, the exact role of the peptide in social bonding among humans remains unclear. 

FIGURE 14—2. Psychopharmacology of the human sexual response, part 2. Sexual arousal in peripheral genitalia is accompanied by erections in men and lubrication and swelling in women. Both nitric oxide and acetylcholine mediate these actions. 

Wagner, G., and R. Levin. 1984. Human vaginal pH and sexual arousal. Fertil Steril 41 389. 

Olfaction, like visual and taste perception, is an ancient process. Olfaction plays a role in sexual arousal. The olfactory system in mammals is remarkable with respect to the number of receptors engaged in monitoring odours. There are several thousand hepta-helical G-protein-coupled receptors in the olfactory epithelium and the nasal organ of a dog, and still about 1000 receptors in the corresponding human organs. It has been estimated that nearly 1% of all genes code for olfactory receptors alone. 

Olfaction plays an important role in sexual behavior in many animals. Macrosomatic animals have a highly developed ability to use olfaction for identifying sexual partners, enemies and food i.e.. these animals use olfaction for survival and continuation of the species. The linkage between reproductive behavior and olfaction is not as strong in humans but we may still possess the neural hardware tying odors to sexual arousal and certainly the profit and loss statements of the fragrance industry attests to a key role of olfaction in human sex drives. 

The present results are consistent with both animal and human research showing that female selection of male mates is influenced by body odor (Eklund et al., 1992 Wedekind et al., 1995). Phrased in the language of evolutionary mechanisms and parental investment theory, the Sensory Stimuli and Sexuality Survey suggests that sensory information about mates presumed to be indicative of offspring viability related to immune genetics (i.e., olfaction) is especially important for female heterosexual responses. For males information pertaining to female fecundity (as indicated by physical attractiveness attributes that can be seen) and offspring viability potential (olfaction) are most important in mate selection Olfaction, however, is less involved in sexual arousal for males than it is for females. 

Non-body smells (e.g., fragrances, ambient odors) can make me feel sexually aroused.. Hearing human sexual sounds can make me feel sexually aroused. 

As such it has a whole series of effects on the human nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems. In women, MPA is used safely as a contraceptive, for hormone replacement therapy, or to treat menstrual problems. But on men it counteracts the effects of androgen (the male hormone), leading to a reduction in their sex drive, their compulsive sexual fantasies, and their capacity for sexual arousal. 

Effects in the adult In the adult, testosterone maintains spermatogenesis. It also influences sexual interest, arousal and behaviour. Nonetheless, although testosterone plays a role in sexual behaviour, social, environmental and emotional factors are also important. Indeed, neither testosterone in the male nor oestradiol in the female is essential for sexual interactions in humans. 

From a simple psychopharmacological perspective, the human sexual response can be divided into three phases, each with distinct and relatively nonoverlapping neurotransmitter functions, namely, libido, arousal, and orgasm. 

In summary, there are three major psychopharmacological stages of the human sexual response (Fig. 14—7). Multiple neurotransmitters mediate these stages, but only some of them are understood. Libido (stage 1) has dopaminergic dimensions to its pharmacology. The mechanism of arousal (stage 2), which is characterized by... 

In this chapter, issues in psychopharmacology related to sex and sexuality were discussed. This included an overview of the neurotransmitter mechanisms involved in the three psychopharmacological stages of the human sexual response, namely libido, arousal, and orgasm. Neurotransmitters that mediate each of these three stages were discussed, as well as drugs that facilitate and inhibit these stages. A specific introduction to the nitric oxide neurotransmitter system was outlined. 

To explore the psychopharmacology of the human sexual response, including libido, arousal and orgasm. 

A novel finding of the present research was the differentiation in arousal produced by non-body odors versus body odors, and music versus human sexual sounds for men and women. Relative to non-body odors and music, women reported being less aroused by body odors and human sexual sounds both in and out of the context of sex. By contrast, males rated body odors and fragrances equally and rather neutrally. Additionally, males could be quite aroused by human sexual sounds both in and out of the context of sex, but... 

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