Electroencephalographic Correlates of Sexual Arousal Induced by Sexually-Explicit Reading in Human Females

• 作者: Anders ?gmo Carolina Gómez-Navarro Claudia Amezcua-Gutiérrez Marisela Hernández-González Miguel Angel Guevara
• 来源期刊: 行为与脑科学期刊(英文)
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: Sexual AROUSAL EEG Sexually-Explicit READING EROTIC READING Women
• 年，卷（期）: 2018,（11）
• 页码范围: 599-614
• 页数: 16页
• 分类号: R73

摘要

This study explored the cortical functionality in young women while reading a sexually-explicit text. Electroencephalographic activity (EEG) was recorded in heterosexual women while reading either a sexually-explicit text or one with neutral content. Absolute power (AP) and the degree of EEG synchronization among the prefrontal, temporal and parietal cortices were analyzed for the different EEG bands. To evaluate sexual arousal, valence and general activation, Likert-type and Manikin scales were applied. Subjects scored the sexually-explicit text as more pleasurable, and reported greater general activation and sexual arousal than while reading the neutral one. During reading of the sexually-explicit text only, they showed a higher AP in the beta and gamma bands in temporal areas in both hemispheres, and in the theta band in parietal ones, with a lower degree of EEG synchronization between prefronto-temporal areas in the fast bands. Results show that both hemispheres were activated in these sexually-aroused women. The low bilateral synchronization between prefrontal and temporal regions indicates the independent functionality of these cortices, which could be a requirement for inducing and maintaining sexual arousal during reading of sexually-explicit texts in women. These data should broaden our knowledge of the cortical mechanisms that underlie sexual arousal in women.