The thickness of the cortical region varies among females, connected with its usage.
The precise place of the brain area representing genital touch varies amongst women. The new research in JNeurosci also discovered the region was thicker the more regularly the individuals took part in sexual intercourse.
The thickness of the genital field differed with the frequency of sexual intercourse, suggesting the regions structure changes in relation to its usage. These outcomes allow for future research studies taking a look at the role of the genital field in healthy sexual function, sexual dysfunction, and especially in the long-term effects of sexual abuse. Based on this precise mapping, future work can now potentially target the genital representation for treatment of medical conditions.
The somatosensory cortex devotes brain area to discovering touch for each part of the body. But the exact location of the female genital field in this map had been controversial. Due to the fact that of less accurate mapping approaches, previous research studies produced conflicting outcomes.
Interindividual irregularity of the genital somatosensory cortex in the MNI space. Credit: Knop et al., JNeurosci 2021
Knop et al. used fMRI to map the specific representation of female genitalia by measuring the brains reaction to a membrane vibrating over the clitoral region. When targeting such a delicate body region, the research study was developed to take fantastic care to prevent any pain the participants could experience. The somatosensory cortex represented the genital areas next to the hips, matching the bodys anatomy. Nevertheless, the accurate location varied from female to woman. The density of the genital field varied with the frequency of sexual intercourse, recommending the regions structure changes in relation to its usage. These outcomes permit for future studies analyzing the function of the genital field in healthy sexual function, sexual dysfunction, and particularly in the long-term consequences of sexual abuse. Based upon this exact mapping, future work can now potentially target the genital representation for treatment of clinical conditions.
Referral: “Sensory-Tactile Functional Mapping and Use-Associated Structural Variation of the Human Female Genital Representation Field” 20 December 2021, JNeurosci.DOI: 10.1523/ JNEUROSCI.1081-21.2021.
By Society for Neuroscience
December 20, 2021