Understanding The Human Sexual Response 1 & 2

Basic Biology of Sexual Behavior
The Sexual Response Cycle
Sexual motivation, often referred to as libido, is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity.
This motivation is determined by biological, psychological, and social factors. In most mammalian species,
sex hormones control the ability to engage in sexual behaviors. However, sex hormones do not directly
regulate the ability to copulate in primates (including humans); rather, they are only one influence on the
motivation to engage in sexual behaviors. Social factors such as work and family also have an impact, as
do internal psychological factors like personality and stress. Sex drive may also be affected by medical
conditions, medications, lifestyle stress, pregnancy, and relationship issues.
The sexual response cycle is a model that describes the physiological responses that take place during
sexual activity. According to William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the cycle consists of four phases:
excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. The excitement phase is the phase in which the intrinsic
(inner) motivation to pursue sex arises. The plateau phase sets the stage for orgasm. Orgasm is the release
of tension, and the resolution period is the unaroused state before the cycle begins again.
The Brain and Sex
The brain is the structure that translates the nerve impulses from the skin into pleasurable
sensations. It controls nerves and muscles used during sexual behavior. The brain regulates the release of
hormones, which are believed to be the physiological origin of sexual desire. The cerebral cortex, which
is the outer layer of the brain that allows for thinking and reasoning, is believed to be the origin of sexual
thoughts and fantasies. Beneath the cortex is the limbic system, which consists of the amygdala,
hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, and septal area. These structures are where emotions and feelings are
believed to originate, and are important for sexual behavior.
The hypothalamus is the most important part of the brain for sexual functioning. This is the small
area at the base of the brain consisting of several groups of nerve-cell bodies that receives input from the
limbic system. Studies with lab animals have shown that destruction of certain areas of the hypothalamus
causes complete elimination of sexual behavior. One of the reasons for the importance of the
hypothalamus is its relation to the pituitary gland, which secretes the hormones that are produced in the
hypothalamus.
Hormones
Several important sexual hormones are secreted by the pituitary gland. Oxytocin, also known as
the "hormone of love," is released during sexual intercourse when an orgasm is achieved. Oxytocin is also
released in females when they give birth or are breast feeding; it is believed that oxytocin is involved with
maintaining close relationships. Both prolactic and oxytocin stimulate milk production in females. Follicle-
stimulating hormone (FSH) is responsible for ovulation in females by triggering egg maturity; it also
stimulates sperm production in males. Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers the release of a mature egg in
females during the process of ovulation.
In males, testosterone appears to be a major contributing factor to sexual
motivation. Vasopressin is involved in the male arousal phase, and the increase of vasopressin during
erectile response may be directly associated with increased motivation to engage in sexual behavior.
The relationship between hormones and female sexual motivation is not as well understood, largely due
to the overemphasis on male sexuality in Western research. Estrogen and progesterone typically regulate
motivation to engage in sexual behavior for females, with estrogen increasing motivation and
progesterone decreasing it. The levels of these hormones rise and fall throughout a woman's menstrual
cycle. Research suggests that testosterone, oxytocin, and vasopressin are also implicated in female sexual
motivation in similar ways as they are in males, but more research is needed to understand these
relationships.
The Science of Love and Attachment

Falling in love can hit you hard in mind and your body. You feel irresistibly attracted to your crush. If
things continue, you may feel a rush of euphoria, a longing to be together, passion and excitement. You
feel like you've found the most special, unique person in the world. Fast forward a few years and the
excitement goes down some (except for a few lucky couples). The novelty wears off and, if all goes well,
is replaced by a warm, comforting, nurturing type of feeling. You feel bonded in body, mind, and spirit.
You share your hopes and dreams together and work hard together to make them come true. Each stage
in this cycle can actually be explained by your brain chemistry - the neurotransmitters that get you revved
up and the hormones that carry the feeling throughout your body.
According to anthropology professor Helen Fisher, there are three stages of falling in love. In each stage,
a different set of brain chemicals run the show. These stages are lust, attraction, and love. I will discuss
each one below.
Lust
When you’re in the stage of lust, you feel physically attracted and drawn to to the object of your affection.
You want to seduce them or be seduced. There may be an element of mystery or an intensity that makes
things exciting. Imagine a hot one night stand! Lust is driven by the hormones testosterone in men and
estrogen in women. Lust occurs across species and may be part of the basic drive to find a partner to
spread our genes with. But lust is different than love. Injecting men with testosterone makes them desire
a potential lover more, but not necessarily fall in love in any lasting way.
Attraction
In the second stage, you begin to obsess about your lover and crave his presence. Your heart races and
you don’t feel like sleeping or eating. You may even get sweaty palms. You feel a surge of extra energy
and excitement as you fantasize about the things you’ll do together. These feelings are created by three
chemicals: norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
Dopamine - Increased dopamine is associated with motivation, reward, and goal-directed behavior, hence
the drive to pursue your loved one or create them in fantasy if you can’t be with them. Dopamine also
creates a sense of novelty. Your loved one seems exciting, special and unique to you and you want to tell
the world about his special qualities.
Norepinephrine - Norepinephrine is responsible for the extra surge of energy and racing heart that you
feel, as well as the loss of appetite and desire for sleep. It puts your body into a more alert state in which
you are ready for action.
Serotonin - Scientists think serotonin probably decreases at this stage, but more studies need to be done.
Low levels of serotonin are found in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and are thought to cause
obsessive thinking. In one Italian study of 60 students, those who were recently in love and those with
OCD both had less serotonin transporter protein in their blood than regular (not recently in love) students.
Attachment
Attachment involves wanting to make a more lasting commitment to your loved one. This is the point at
which you may move in together, get married, and/or have children. After about 4 years in a relationship,
dopamine decreases and attraction goes down. If things are going well, it gets replaced by the hormones
oxytocin and vasopressin, which create the desire to bond, affiliate with, and nurture your partner. You
want to cuddle and be close and share your deepest secrets with her. You plan and dream together.
Oxytocin - Oxytocin is a hormone released during orgasm (and during childbirth and breast-feeding). This
may be the reason why sex is thought to bring couples closer together and be the “glue” that binds the
relationship. There is a dark side to oxytocin as well. It seems to play a role in needy, clinging behaviors
and jealousy.
Vasopressin - Scientists learned about the role of vasopressin in attachment by studying the prairie vole,
a small creature that forms monogamous bonds like humans do. When male prairie voles were given a
drug that suppresses vasopressin, they began neglecting their partners and not fighting off other male
voles who wanted to mate with her.

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Basic Biology of Sexual Behavior

The Sexual Response Cycle

The Brain and Sex

The Science of Love and Attachment

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