Women feel no emotions during orgasm - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Astrocloud · 06-21-2005, 09:50 AM

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7548

Quote:

Orgasms: a real ‘turn-off’ for women
17:54 20 June 2005
NewScientist.com news service
Michael Le Page, Copenhagen

For women, it seems, sex is a big turn-off, reveals a brain scanning study. It shows that many areas of the brain switch off during the female orgasm - including those involved with emotion.

“At the moment of orgasm, women do not have any emotional feelings,” says Gert Holstege of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

His team recruited 13 healthy heterosexual women and their partners. The women were asked to lie with their heads in a PET scanner while the team compared their brain activity in four states: simply resting, faking an orgasm, having their clitoris stimulated by their partner’s fingers, and clitoral stimulation to the point of orgasm.

The results of the study are striking. As the women were stimulated, activity rose in one sensory part of the brain, called the primary somatosensory cortex, but fell in the amygdala and hippocampus, areas involved in alertness and anxiety. During orgasm, activity fell in many more areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, compared with the resting state, Holstege told a meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Development in Copenhagen on Monday.

In one sense the findings appear to confirm what is already known, that women cannot enjoy sex unless they are relaxed and free from worries and distractions. "Fear and anxiety levels have to go down for orgasm. Everyone knows this but we can see it happening in the brain," he explains.

Extraordinary behaviour
From an evolutionary point of view, it could be that the brain switches off the emotions during sex because at such times the chance to produce offspring becomes more important than the survival risk to the individual. Holstege points to the extraordinary behaviour seen in some animals during the breeding season, such as March hares, when the urge to mate seems to override the usual fear of predators.

But Holstege cannot explain why there is such extreme deactivation in so many areas of the brain during orgasm. Only one small part of the brain, in the cerebellum, was more active during female orgasm. The cerebellum is normally associated with coordinating movement, though there is also some evidence that it helps regulate emotions. “We don’t know what activation of the cerebellum corresponds to,” Holstege admits.

His study also revealed clear differences when women were faking an orgasm. Part of the brain involved controlling conscious movement lit up, and there was none of the extreme deactivation.

Next the team hope to look at what happens to the brain in the minutes after orgasm, as well as in patients with sexual problems. The team has already done a similar study involving 11 men, which revealed far less deactivation during orgasm than in women. However, Holstege says the results are probably unreliable and need to be repeated. The problem is that PET scanners measure activity over two minutes - and in men it is all over in a few seconds.

People tend to justify their actions after the fact. No matter what the real justification was. I'm wondering if women's insistence that sex is "more emotional" for them -is some sort of overcompensation for what is really going on... -that they feel absolutely no emotions whatsoever.

I also wonder if this is natures way of telling women not to worry bout nothing -just enjoy your orgasm. I think these findings are pretty thought provoking.

Ustwo · 06-21-2005, 10:04 AM

God I really missed the boat when I did my research.

To think I could have got grant money to study orgasms!

ngdawg · 06-21-2005, 10:04 AM

What that study doesn't mention and seems to be quite normal (I am told) is the FLOOD of emotions that many times follows orgasm.
Quote: The problem is that PET scanners measure activity over two minutes - and in men it is all over in a few seconds. Truer words were never spoken.

fhqwhgads · 06-21-2005, 11:04 AM

Funny... during orgasm is one of the few times that I actually DO feel emotion...

lurkette · 06-21-2005, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrocloud

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7548

People tend to justify their actions after the fact. No matter what the real justification was. I'm wondering if women's insistence that sex is "more emotional" for them -is some sort of overcompensation for what is really going on... -that they feel absolutely no emotions whatsoever.

Typical male response

There's more to sex than orgasm, silly - all this study said was that at the moment of orgasm, there are certain parts of the brain that are normally associated with other functions (e.g., emotion) that show a marked decrease in activity. That's not to say that there's not a hell of a lot more emotion going on before and after. I know I've had orgasms that have released a veritable FLOOD of emotion afterward - from giggle fits to hysterical crying. I might not have been focused on the emotions while I was actually having an orgasm, but boy were they present afterward. And that's not even dealing with the emotional aspects of foreplay, partner selection, blah blah blah. I'm sure there are plenty of women for whom sex is just sex, and lots of men for whom emotion plays a bigger role in sex than they might be willing to admit. Studying one aspect of sex doesn't begin to address the complexity of it.

Jinn · 06-21-2005, 11:20 AM

My theory addendum is that while this is true, it is simply a practicality effect of the brain. Emotion (as you all well know) takes an incredible amount of energy to start and maintain. I must admit at the very *moment* of orgasm, which is probably no more than 2 seconds, I have absolutely no emotion. My brian is focused entirely on the sensation, and I think that's a good thing. I dont want my brain taking away any available processing time for anything other then the sensation. Afterwards, sure.. bring the systems back online -- and they certainly do. Like everyone so far.. intense emotion before and after.. but during that one or 2 second interval? Nope, and no thanks.

healer · 06-21-2005, 11:53 PM

I wasn't at all surprised by the findings. You don't need your brain in order to cum, thus it switches off to an extent. We rely on instinct, sorta like animals. Sex and orgasm are is about as animalistic as it gets.

The Bloodhound Gang said it best:

"Me and you baby aint nothing but mammals so lets do it like they do on the Discovery Channel"

streak_56 · 06-22-2005, 06:34 AM

This actually made me laugh. I wonder how much of list they had going for researchers to participate in this study? This really doesn't affect me that much, though I hope that it is not true. And I agree with what was said above. They didn't include the rush of emotions after the fact.

braisler · 06-22-2005, 06:47 AM

I am just wondering how accurate the research could be when the women involved were brought to climax WITH THEIR HEAD IN A PET SCANNER!!!! I mean, come on, that is not an everyday occurrance. I think that for many women, being able to climax is not simply a matter of rubbing a certain area over and over until it just happens. They have to "feel" right and be in the right frame of mind for it to happen. Kind of challenging while lying in a lab with your head in a PET scanner.

I'm not saying the research isn't valid or interesting. It is just a point that they should consider in their analysis. I can't think of a better control though.

YKK · 06-22-2005, 03:36 PM

Sorta like animals!

Oh ho, funny fellow. ^^

Spiffgirl · 06-22-2005, 03:50 PM

People tend to justify their actions after the fact. No matter what the real justification was. I'm wondering if women's insistence that sex is "more emotional" for them -is some sort of overcompensation for what is really going on... -that they feel absolutely no emotions whatsoever.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to disagree... sure, there may be a lack of emotional response in those couple of seconds of orgasm, but as a woman, I've found it's really hard for me to not react emotionally to issues involving sex.

Paq · 06-22-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braisler

I am just wondering how accurate the research could be when the women involved were brought to climax WITH THEIR HEAD IN A PET SCANNER!!!! I mean, come on, that is not an everyday occurrance. I think that for many women, being able to climax is not simply a matter of rubbing a certain area over and over until it just happens. They have to "feel" right and be in the right frame of mind for it to happen. Kind of challenging while lying in a lab with your head in a PET scanner.

I'm not saying the research isn't valid or interesting. It is just a point that they should consider in their analysis. I can't think of a better control though.

I know quite a few women who could do this...i think i'll give them a call to give them a head's up about a possible job opening in the future...

optik_nerve · 06-22-2005, 07:41 PM

Did anyone else find the part of the brain "Hippocampus" funny sounding?

/threadjack

Locobot · 06-24-2005, 01:41 AM

Yeah, as opposed to men who have nothing but pure pg-rated romantic thoughts on their minds when they come....psshhhhhhh.

ktspktsp · 06-24-2005, 03:31 AM

As I guy, I can't say I feel that many emotions during the few seconds of orgasm, just sensations!

Emotions come before and after

Suave · 06-24-2005, 10:49 AM

This either shows that women have no emotion during orgasm... or that we still don't know shit about how the brain works. I vote for the latter. GOOD JOB NEUROLOGISTS!

Acetylene · 06-27-2005, 05:01 PM

That is such a load of BULLSHIT. OMG these scientists need to be castrated so no woman is ever forced to deal with them ever again. This is reminding me of the doctor who tells me I won't feel my pap smear because "there are no nerves there." It makes me want to cut off his dick and tell him there are no nerves there either, so stop screaming.

This kind of sensational pseudoscience destroys male and female interaction. Any man who tries to tell me my orgasm is not an emotional experience is lucky to get out of my house with both balls intact. All my housemates listening to my yell OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU can tell you what bull this is.

calvin88 · 06-27-2005, 05:43 PM

haha to the comment by Acetylene. When I actually think about it, I'm a guy but I actually thought that obvisouly I would feel emotions, but when orgasming, I think its mainly just sensations as ktsp pointed out.

raeanna74 · 06-27-2005, 07:14 PM

I've found that my emotions come into play AFTER I cum. It's like there's a void created and a fload of emotions follow orgasm. When I cum though I'm not doing much thinking or anything besides FEELING physically the orgasm. Maybe this is puzzling to them because woman are such multitaskers. I do find though that my brain has to shut off a lot of the anxiety and emotions of the day to enjoy sex. Afterwards I get an outpouring of emotion though. Like the faucet has been turned on again and it was backed up while it was off. Odd though

I also liked the comment about having your head in a scanner. I doubt I could cum at all without really shutting down and concentration on the purely physical. Otherwise my environment would be freaking me out. No wonder their emotions were completely offline.

lindseylatch · 06-27-2005, 09:00 PM

emotions turn of during orgasm, but what about arousal? Then it's an essential part of the process.

And, might I add, they are only looking at women, and only 16 of them. With a PET scanner. Not a great study. I would want more people, of both sex, and I would think a fMRI would be better?

lindseylatch · 06-27-2005, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acetylene

That is such a load of BULLSHIT. OMG these scientists need to be castrated so no woman is ever forced to deal with them ever again. This is reminding me of the doctor who tells me I won't feel my pap smear because "there are no nerves there." It makes me want to cut off his dick and tell him there are no nerves there either, so stop screaming.

Well, technically...You know, in the few women that science has actually looked at, there are no pain nerves on the cervix. However, obviously there are for some women. Just a little side note.

Biscuit Buns · 06-28-2005, 12:35 AM

I love the Bloodhound Gang. God, that brings back some memories.

My brain switches off for a split second during peak. Then, it's back on and I'm suddenly wondering if I woke the neighbors.

As far as emotions go, sometimes it's a void of emotion afterwards, sometimes it's a flood. Prior to orgasm, it's usually just a reflection of the previous few hours, but nothing extreme.

raeanna74 · 06-28-2005, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindseylatch

Well, technically...You know, in the few women that science has actually looked at, there are no pain nerves on the cervix. However, obviously there are for some women. Just a little side note.

No nerves? I have heard the contrary. I've heard that the highest concentration of nerves in the vagina is IN the cervix. I myself can testify that there are most definately pain receptors there.

snowy · 06-28-2005, 02:54 PM

If there were no nerves in the cervix, they wouldn't need to numb it for procedures such as an IUD sounding or insertion. There are SOME pain nerves in the cervix, but not as many in other parts of the body--technically you're more likely to feel a pinch from pressure, not pain. Believe it or not, they're just starting to do research into the placement of nerves in the female pelvic region, mostly in the interest of nerve-saving during hysterectomy. Sad.

kutulu · 06-28-2005, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braisler

I'm not saying the research isn't valid or interesting. It is just a point that they should consider in their analysis. I can't think of a better control though.

Seriously. I doubt that people who participate in monitored sex research are an accurate cross-section of what 'normal' people are. They are much more on the exhibitionist side than a typical couple fucking.

This goes triple if you account for the amount of people that are so repressed that they only have sex with the lights off in missionary position through specially designed garments so that no naked bits can touch.

lindseylatch · 06-28-2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raeanna74

No nerves? I have heard the contrary. I've heard that the highest concentration of nerves in the vagina is IN the cervix. I myself can testify that there are most definately pain receptors there.

oh, no, not at all. That thing has to STRETCH for the baby. Pain nerves would be...bad. There's not a lot of nerves in the vagina at all. The highest concentration of nerves in the genitals are in the clitoris of course, and then the labia. Which is why so many women don't orgasm during sex. Sex doesn't stimulate the clitoris, and there's not much else to go on.

06-21-2005, 10:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes	God I really missed the boat when I did my research. To think I could have got grant money to study orgasms! __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

06-21-2005, 10:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	What that study doesn't mention and seems to be quite normal (I am told) is the FLOOD of emotions that many times follows orgasm. Quote: The problem is that PET scanners measure activity over two minutes - and in men it is all over in a few seconds. Truer words were never spoken. __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

06-21-2005, 11:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	My theory addendum is that while this is true, it is simply a practicality effect of the brain. Emotion (as you all well know) takes an incredible amount of energy to start and maintain. I must admit at the very moment of orgasm, which is probably no more than 2 seconds, I have absolutely no emotion. My brian is focused entirely on the sensation, and I think that's a good thing. I dont want my brain taking away any available processing time for anything other then the sensation. Afterwards, sure.. bring the systems back online -- and they certainly do. Like everyone so far.. intense emotion before and after.. but during that one or 2 second interval? Nope, and no thanks. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel Last edited by Jinn; 06-21-2005 at 11:21 AM.. Reason: spelling..

06-22-2005, 06:47 AM	#9 (permalink)
braisler Addict Location: Midway, KY	I am just wondering how accurate the research could be when the women involved were brought to climax WITH THEIR HEAD IN A PET SCANNER!!!! I mean, come on, that is not an everyday occurrance. I think that for many women, being able to climax is not simply a matter of rubbing a certain area over and over until it just happens. They have to "feel" right and be in the right frame of mind for it to happen. Kind of challenging while lying in a lab with your head in a PET scanner. I'm not saying the research isn't valid or interesting. It is just a point that they should consider in their analysis. I can't think of a better control though. __________________ --- You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein ---

06-22-2005, 03:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
YKK Crazy Location: Toronto, ONT	Sorta like animals! Oh ho, funny fellow. ^^ __________________ We're all black sheep and we know it.. So don't fsck it up for the rest. -- Sick of It All; Yours Truly

06-21-2005, 11:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
fhqwhgads Junkie	Funny... during orgasm is one of the few times that I actually DO feel emotion...

06-21-2005, 11:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
healer Found my way back Location: South Africa	I wasn't at all surprised by the findings. You don't need your brain in order to cum, thus it switches off to an extent. We rely on instinct, sorta like animals. Sex and orgasm are is about as animalistic as it gets. The Bloodhound Gang said it best: "Me and you baby aint nothing but mammals so lets do it like they do on the Discovery Channel"

06-22-2005, 06:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
streak_56 who ever said streaking was a bad thing? Location: Calgary	This actually made me laugh. I wonder how much of list they had going for researchers to participate in this study? This really doesn't affect me that much, though I hope that it is not true. And I agree with what was said above. They didn't include the rush of emotions after the fact.

06-22-2005, 03:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
Spiffgirl Upright Location: I come from spase, no I don't come from here. I am a spase people. I am from a different planet	People tend to justify their actions after the fact. No matter what the real justification was. I'm wondering if women's insistence that sex is "more emotional" for them -is some sort of overcompensation for what is really going on... -that they feel absolutely no emotions whatsoever. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I'm gonna have to disagree... sure, there may be a lack of emotional response in those couple of seconds of orgasm, but as a woman, I've found it's really hard for me to not react emotionally to issues involving sex.

06-22-2005, 07:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
optik_nerve Psycho Location: Florida	Did anyone else find the part of the brain "Hippocampus" funny sounding? /threadjack

06-24-2005, 01:41 AM	#14 (permalink)
Locobot is awesome!	Yeah, as opposed to men who have nothing but pure pg-rated romantic thoughts on their minds when they come....psshhhhhhh.

06-24-2005, 03:31 AM	#15 (permalink)
ktspktsp Addict Location: Reykjavik, Iceland	As I guy, I can't say I feel that many emotions during the few seconds of orgasm, just sensations! Emotions come before and after

06-24-2005, 10:49 AM	#16 (permalink)
Suave Twitterpated Location: My own little world (also Canada)	This either shows that women have no emotion during orgasm... or that we still don't know shit about how the brain works. I vote for the latter. GOOD JOB NEUROLOGISTS! __________________ "Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

06-27-2005, 05:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
Acetylene Addict Location: under a rock	That is such a load of BULLSHIT. OMG these scientists need to be castrated so no woman is ever forced to deal with them ever again. This is reminding me of the doctor who tells me I won't feel my pap smear because "there are no nerves there." It makes me want to cut off his dick and tell him there are no nerves there either, so stop screaming. This kind of sensational pseudoscience destroys male and female interaction. Any man who tries to tell me my orgasm is not an emotional experience is lucky to get out of my house with both balls intact. All my housemates listening to my yell OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU can tell you what bull this is. __________________ There's no justice. There's just us.

06-27-2005, 05:43 PM	#18 (permalink)
calvin88 Tilted Location: socal	haha to the comment by Acetylene. When I actually think about it, I'm a guy but I actually thought that obvisouly I would feel emotions, but when orgasming, I think its mainly just sensations as ktsp pointed out.

06-27-2005, 07:14 PM	#19 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	I've found that my emotions come into play AFTER I cum. It's like there's a void created and a fload of emotions follow orgasm. When I cum though I'm not doing much thinking or anything besides FEELING physically the orgasm. Maybe this is puzzling to them because woman are such multitaskers. I do find though that my brain has to shut off a lot of the anxiety and emotions of the day to enjoy sex. Afterwards I get an outpouring of emotion though. Like the faucet has been turned on again and it was backed up while it was off. Odd though I also liked the comment about having your head in a scanner. I doubt I could cum at all without really shutting down and concentration on the purely physical. Otherwise my environment would be freaking me out. No wonder their emotions were completely offline. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

06-27-2005, 09:00 PM	#20 (permalink)
lindseylatch Addict Location: Seattle, WA	emotions turn of during orgasm, but what about arousal? Then it's an essential part of the process. And, might I add, they are only looking at women, and only 16 of them. With a PET scanner. Not a great study. I would want more people, of both sex, and I would think a fMRI would be better? __________________ "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong." -Voltaire

06-28-2005, 12:35 AM	#22 (permalink)
Biscuit Buns Four of Wands Location: Somewhere entirely too hot.	I love the Bloodhound Gang. God, that brings back some memories. My brain switches off for a split second during peak. Then, it's back on and I'm suddenly wondering if I woke the neighbors. As far as emotions go, sometimes it's a void of emotion afterwards, sometimes it's a flood. Prior to orgasm, it's usually just a reflection of the previous few hours, but nothing extreme. __________________ A hard man is good to find. ~Mae West

06-28-2005, 02:54 PM	#24 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	If there were no nerves in the cervix, they wouldn't need to numb it for procedures such as an IUD sounding or insertion. There are SOME pain nerves in the cervix, but not as many in other parts of the body--technically you're more likely to feel a pinch from pressure, not pain. Believe it or not, they're just starting to do research into the placement of nerves in the female pelvic region, mostly in the interest of nerve-saving during hysterectomy. Sad. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau