The DOI matches its Crossref record; 36 of the 36 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Plasma oxytocin increases in the human sexual response
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether plasma oxytocin (OT) levels change during human sexual responses and, if so, to demonstrate the temporal pattern of change. Plasma OT levels were measured by RIA before, during, and after private self-stimulation to orgasm in normal men (n = 9) and women (n = 13). Blood samples were collected continuously through indwelling venous catheters. The subjects pressed a signal to indicate the start and finish of orgasm/ejaculation. Objective assessment of sexual arousal and orgasm was obtained by measuring blood-pulse amplitude and electromyographic activity, recorded continuously throughout testing from an anal device containing a photoplethysmograph and electromyograph electrodes connected to a polygraph located in an adjacent room. These measures allowed collection of data from men and women of changes in blood flow and muscle activity in the lower pelvic/pubic area. Plasma OT levels increased during sexual arousal in both women and men and were significantly higher during orgasm/ejaculation than during prior baseline testing. We suggest that the temporal pattern of secretion could be related to smooth muscle contractions of the reproductive system during orgasm.
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“OT plasma levels have also been reported to increase in both men and women during sexual arousal, peaking during orgasm [136].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [136]
In the citing paper
“Carmichael et al. (1987) found that plasma OT increased around the time of orgasm in men and women, remaining raised for at least 5 min after orgasm.”
From The endocrinology of sexual arousal (2005) · cites this paper as Carmichael et al. (1987)
In the citing paper
“OT is released in humans during hugging, touching, massage, nipple stimulation, and orgasm (Carmichael et al 1987; Christensson et al 1989; Turner et al 1999; Light et al 2000; Light et al 2005), and promotes increased eye gaze, trust, and attention to emotional cues (Kosfeld et al 2005; Domes et al 2007; Guastella et al 2008; Andari et al 2010).”
From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Carmichael et al 1987
In the citing paper
“In independent studies in rodents and sheep, contexts or behaviors shown to have central oxytocin involvement also show positive increases in plasma oxytocin levels (rodents: Ogawa et al., 1980; Carmichael et al., 1987; Stock and Uvnäs-Moberg, 1988; Juszczak and Stempniak, 1997; Neumann et al., 2000; sheep: Keverne et al., 1983; Kendrick et al., 1986).”
From Endogenous peripheral oxytocin measures can give insight into the dynamics of social relationships: a review (2014) · cites this paper as Carmichael et al., 1987
In the citing paper
“Oxytocin is released during sexual arousal and orgasm (Blaicher et al., 1999, Burri et al., 2008, Carmichael et al., 1987, but see Kruger et al., 2003, Murphy et al., 1987).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Carmichael et al., 1987
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“Plasma oxytocin concentrations are known to be elevated in humans following sexual stimulation (Carmichael et al., 1987; Murphy et al., 1987).”
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“Activation of the OXT system in general is also reflected by an increased OXT secretion into blood during sexual behaviour and mating (Stoneham et al., 1985; Carmichael et al., 1987).”
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“In humans, OT has been reported to increase in the plasma during sexual arousal and ejaculation or orgasm, although changes in central OT concentrations have not been examined (Carmichael et al., 1987).”
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“OT is released in humans during hugging, touching, massage, nipple stimulation, and orgasm (Carmichael et al. 1987; Christensson et al. 1989; Turner et al. 1999; Light et al. 2000, 2005) and promotes increased eye gaze, trust, and attention to emotional cues (Kosfeld et al.”
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“In primates, the OT system may also be important in bonding, and in humans peripheral OT release is increased at birth, following female orgasm and exposure to neonatal images or sounds (McNeilly et al. 1983; Carmichael et al. 1987).”
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“…and interaction effects of time and gender: see Table 1. ignificant difference with corresponding basal value: *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.0 999; Carmichael et al., 1987; Murphy et al., 1987), and psychosoial stress (Kirschbaum et al., 1993; Pierrehumbert et al., 2010) and ost likely reflect…”
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“…such locally released OT is likely to mediate the reduced level of anxiety and increased calmness found in lactation (Carter & Altemus, 1997; Windle et al., 1997; Heinrichs et al., 2003; Heinrichs & Koob, 2004), as well as after sexual activity (Carmichael et al., 1987; Waldherr & Neumann, 2007).”
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“That is, the PVN neurons secrete oxytocin, which is stored in the posterior pituitary [12], vaginal or cervical stimulation releases the oxytocin from the posterior pituitary gland into the bloodstream—a response known as the Ferguson Reflex [19]—and orgasm releases oxytocin into the bloodstream [5,8,9].”
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“More directly, OT level have been reported to rise during genital stimulation, copulation, and orgasm (Carmichael et al., 1987; Uvnäs-Moberg, 1998), though rises in response to massage (typically given by a masseur unacquainted with the participant) are usually nonsignificant (Turner et al., 1999;…”
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“…in OT levels in states like pregnancy (Kuwabara et al., 1987; Fuchs et al., 1992; Lindow et al., 1996), breastfeeding (Jonas et al., 2009; Grewen et al., 2010), orgasm (Carmichael et al., 1987), parenting (Feldman, 2012), and certain stressors (Nussey et al., 1988; Sanders et al., 1990).”
BackgroundThe role of oxytocin and the paraventricular nucleus in the sexual behaviour of male mammals
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“Moreover, no control groups were included in these studies (Carmichael et al. 1987, Murphy et al. 1987, 1990, Carmichael et al. 1994, Blaicher et al. 1999).”
BackgroundInfluentialCardiovascular and Endocrine Alterations After Masturbation-Induced Orgasm in Women
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“Oxytocin is released during vaginocervical stimulation or mating (Kendrick et al., 1986; Ross et al., 2009a; Sansone et al., 2002) and during human orgasm (Carmichael et al., 1987), presumably enhancing the association between an individual and the hedonic reward elicited by mating.”
Neumann, I. D. (2009) · Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.04.012 · Cited by 162
“OXT secretion into blood is induced by massage and stroking [195] as well as during sexual behaviour and mating – the most intense form of social behaviour found in males [27,184].”
Anatomy and neurochemistry of the pair bond
Young, L. J., Murphy Young, A. Z., & Hammock, E. A. D. (2005) · Journal of Comparative Neurology · doi:10.1002/cne.20771 · Cited by 163
“OT and AVP are released into the blood during sexual arousal and orgasm in humans (Carmichael et al., 1987; Murphy et al., 1987).”
BackgroundPattij, T., De Jong, T. R., Uitterdijk, A., Waldinger, M. D., Veening, J. G., Cools, A. R., Van Der Graaf, P. H., & Olivier, B. (2005) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04252.x · Cited by 163
“, 1987) and during ejaculation in blood plasma of humans (Carmichael et al., 1987).”
BackgroundThe role of oxytocin in male and female reproductive behavior
Veening, J. G., A, T. R. D. J., Waldinger, M. D., Korte, S. M., & Olivier, B. (2014) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.045 · Cited by 156
“tions in rats, rabbits and humans (Carmichael et al., 1987; Hillegaart et al., 1998; Kruger et al., 2003; Murphy et al., 1987; Stoneham et al., 1985; Uckert et al., 2003) presumably has a function.”
BackgroundRutigliano, G., Rocchetti, M., Paloyelis, Y., Gilleen, J., Sardella, A., Cappucciati, M., Palombini, E., Dell’Osso, L., Caverzasi, E., Politi, P., et al. (2016) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.117 · Cited by 149
“Originally, ADH and OT have been described as hormones, involved respectively in antidiuresis, osmolality regulation, direct vasoconstriction and hepatic glycogenolysis (Appelgren, 1982; Robertson, 2001) and labor (Husslein, 1984), lactation (Crowley, 2015), and sexual activity (Carmichael et al., 1987).”
Neuropeptides and sexual behaviour
Argiolas, A. (1999) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(99)00068-8 · Cited by 148
Oxytocin—its role in male reproduction and new potential therapeutic uses
Thackare, H., Nicholson, H. D., & Whittington, K. (2006) · Human Reproduction Update · doi:10.1093/humupd/dmk002 · Cited by 146
“In several animals including the human male, a pulse of OT probably of hypothalamic origin is associated with ejaculation (Ogawa et al., 1980; Carmichael et al., 1987; Murphy et al., 1987).”
BackgroundNeuropeptides and central control of sexual behaviour from the past to the present: A review
Argiolas, A., & Melis, M. R. (2013) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.06.006 · Cited by 141
Communicating affection: interpersonal behavior and social context
(2007) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.44-3351 · Cited by 142
Burleson, M. H., Trevathan, W. R., & Todd, M. W. (2006) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-006-9071-1 · Cited by 143
“For example, massage-like touch causes release of oxytocin in rats (Lund et al., 2005) and sexual arousal and orgasm cause enhanced release of oxytocin in human males and females (Carmichael et al., 1987).”
InfluentialSources of Marital Conflict in Five Cultures
Dillon, L. M., Nowak, N. T., Weisfeld, G. E., Weisfeld, C. C., Shattuck, K. S., İmamoğlu, O., Butovskaya, M., & Shen, J. (2015) · Evolutionary Psychology · doi:10.1177/147470491501300101 · Cited by 140
Physiology and Pharmacology of Ejaculation
Clément, P., & Giuliano, F. (2015) · Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology · doi:10.1111/bcpt.12546 · Cited by 134
The role of central oxytocin in obsessive compulsive disorder and related normal behavior
Leckman, J. F., Goodman, W. K., North, W. G., Chappell, P. B., Price, L. H., Pauls, D. L., Anderson, G. M., Riddle, M. A., McDougle, C. J., Barr, L. C., et al. (1994) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/0306-4530(94)90021-3 · Cited by 133
Ishunina, T. A., & Swaab, D. F. (1999) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jcem.84.12.6187 · Cited by 132
“men and in women (15), and the number of OT neurons in”
BackgroundNeuropeptides and the social brain: potential rodent models of autism
Lim, M. M., Bielsky, I. F., & Young, L. J. (2005) · International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.05.006 · Cited by 129
“Oxytocin has been shown to be critical for the formation of mother–infant bonds in sheep.”
BackgroundMelis, M. R., & Argiolas, A. (2010) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.10.014 · Cited by 129
The Neurobiology of Social Affiliation and Pair Bonding
Carter, C. S., & Keverne, E. B. (2009) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-008088783-8.00004-8 · Cited by 130
The oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8-vasotocin inhibits male copulatory behaviour in rats
Argiolas, A., Collu, M., Gessa, G. L., Melis, M. R., & Serra, G. (1988) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/0014-2999(88)90675-9 · Cited by 125
Chronic fluoxetine inhibits sexual behavior in the male rat: reversal with oxytocin
Cantor, J. M., Binik, Y. M., & Pfaus, J. G. (1999) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s002130051018 · Cited by 122
“With regard to human sexual behavior, plasma levels of oxytocin rise during sexual stimulation in both men and women ( Carmichael et al. 1987, 1994; Murphy et al. 1987, 1990).”
BackgroundA relationship between oxytocin and anxiety of romantic attachment
Marazziti (2006) · Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health · doi:10.1186/1745-0179-2-28 · Cited by 124
Oxytocin in the socioemotional brain: implications for psychiatric disorders
Kirsch, P. (2015) · Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.31887/dcns.2015.17.4/pkirsch · Cited by 123
The orgasmic history of oxytocin: Love, lust, and labor
Magon, N., & Kalra, S. (2011) · Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism · doi:10.4103/2230-8210.84851 · Cited by 137
“[23] This “cuddle drug” can indeed make partners cuddle up, and can have a larger role in treatment for infertility in future! Can it indeed increase the lust for love? Interestingly, at least two studies have found increases in plasma oxytocin at orgasm---in both men and women.[24,25]”
When Sex Primes Love: Subliminal Sexual Priming Motivates Relationship Goal Pursuit
Gillath, O., Mikulincer, M., Birnbaum, G. E., & Shaver, P. R. (2008) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167208318141 · Cited by 122
“Similar findings in studies of humans suggest that certain behaviors such as foreplay (kissing, hugging, caressing), sexual intercourse, and sexual orgasm tend to result in the secretion of oxytocin and various opioids into the blood stream (e.g., Carmichael et al., 1987; Filippi et al., 2003).”
ResultSex Buffers Intimates Against the Negative Implications of Attachment Insecurity
Little, K. C., McNulty, J. K., & Russell, V. M. (2009) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167209352494 · Cited by 114
“Indeed, levels of oxytocin are elevated during both sexual arousal (Carmichael et al., 1987) and sexual climax (Carter, 1992), and increased levels of oxytocin have been linked to both pair bonding in animals (e.g., Cho, DeVries, Williams, & Carter, 1999) and perceptions of closeness in humans…”
Oxytocin and vasopressin: genetics and behavioral implications
Caldwell, H. K., & Young, W. S. (2006) · Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30381-9_25 · Cited by 113
OxytocinSynthesis, Secretion, and Reproductive Functions
BURBACH, J., YOUNG, L., & RUSSELL, J. (2006) · Knobil and Neill's Physiology of Reproduction · doi:10.1016/b978-012515400-0/50063-4 · Cited by 113
Nonsocial Functions of Hypothalamic Oxytocin
Yang, H.-P., Wang, L., Han, L., & Wang, S. C. (2013) · ISRN Neuroscience · doi:10.1155/2013/179272 · Cited by 116
“Plasma OXT levels increase during sexual arousal in both women and men and are significantly higher during orgasm/ejaculation than during prior baseline levels [90].”
BackgroundChen, K., Chan, S. H. H., Chang, L. S.-S., & Chan, J. Y. H. (1997) · The Journal of Urology · doi:10.1097/00005392-199707000-00078 · Cited by 109
Oxytocin Involvement in SSRI-Induced Delayed Ejaculation: A Review of Animal Studies
A, T. R. D. J., Veening, J. G., Olivier, B., & Waldinger, M. D. (2007) · The Journal of Sexual Medicine · doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00394.x · Cited by 108
Neuropeptide Regulation of Signaling and Behavior in the BNST
Kash, T. L., Pleil, K. E., Marcinkiewcz, C. A., Lowery‐Gionta, E. G., Crowley, N. A., Mazzone, C. M., Sugam, J. A., Hardaway, J. A., & McElligott, Z. A. (2014) · Molecules and Cells · doi:10.14348/molcells.2015.2261 · Cited by 105
Metadata
- Authors
- CARMICHAEL, M. S., HUMBERT, R., DIXEN, J., PALMISANO, G., GREENLEAF, W., & DAVIDSON, J. M.
- Affiliations
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 1987-01
- Volume
- 64
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 27-31
- ISSN
- 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7197
- OpenAlex
- W2035261481
- Cited by
- 554
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 11.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- School of Medicine, Stanford University
- Claude Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- National Institute on Aging (AG 01435)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5F32HD-01/02)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- plasma oxytocin, human sexual response, sexual arousal, orgasm, ejaculation, self-stimulation, smooth muscle contraction, reproductive system, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Ejaculation, Electromyography, Female, Humans, Male, Muscle Contraction, Muscle, Smooth, Orgasm, Oxytocin, Pelvis, Pulse, Radioimmunoassay, Regional Blood Flow
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