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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In the citing paper
“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
Citations
Cites
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1966) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 3,080
Oxytocin induces maternal behavior in virgin female rats
Pedersen, C. A., Ascher, J. A., Monroe, Y. L., & Prange, A. J. (1982) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.7071605 · Cited by 770
Oxytocin Receptors and Human Parturition: A Dual Role for Oxytocin in the Initiation of Labor
Fuchs, A., Fuchs, F., Husslein, P. W., Soloff, M. S., & Fernström, M. J. (1982) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.6278592 · Cited by 494
Is oxytocin an ovarian hormone?
Wathes, D. C., & Swann, R. W. (1982) · Nature · doi:10.1038/297225a0 · Cited by 266
Ovarian secretion of oxytocin is stimulated by prostaglandin
Flint, A. P. F., & Sheldrick, E. L. (1982) · Nature · doi:10.1038/297587a0 · Cited by 231
Oxytocin in Human Plasma: Correlation with Neurophysin and Stimulation with Estrogen*
Amico, J. A., SEIF, S. M., & ROBINSON, A. G. (1981) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jcem-52-5-988 · Cited by 177
LEAKE, R. D., WEITZMAN, R. E., GLATZ, T. H., & FISHER, D. A. (1981) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jcem-53-4-730 · Cited by 158
Weitzman, R. E., GLATZ, T. H., & Fisher, D. A. (1978) · Endocrinology · doi:10.1210/endo-103-6-2154 · Cited by 130
The Physiology of Sexual Function in Women
Levin, R. J. (1980) · Clinics in Obstetrics and Gynaecology · doi:10.1016/s0306-3356(21)00234-x · Cited by 129
Circulating concentrations of oxytocin during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in sheep
Sheldrick, E. L., & Flint, A. P. F. (1981) · Prostaglandins · doi:10.1016/0090-6980(81)90072-1 · Cited by 116
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The oxytocin receptor system: structure, function, and regulation
Gimpl, G., & Fahrenholz, F. (2001) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.2001.81.2.629 · Cited by 3,089
The neurobiology of pair bonding.
Young, L. J., & Wang, Z. (2004) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn1327 · Cited by 1,523
“Although it is not known whether human sexual intercourse results in central oxytocin or AVP release, plasma oxytocin levels are elevated at the time of orgasm in women, and similarly, plasma AVP concentrations increase during sexual arousal in me”
Oxytocin: The Great Facilitator of Life
Lee, H.-J., Macbeth, A. H., Pagani, J., & Young, W. S. (2009) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2009.04.001 · Cited by 1,037
“Plasma Oxt levels increase in women during sexual arousal and are elevated further by orgasm (Blaicher et al., 1999; Carmichael et al., 1987).”
The oxytocin receptor: from intracellular signaling to behavior
Jurek, B., & Neumann, I. D. (2018) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.00031.2017 · Cited by 999
“In line with this, OXT concentrations in plasma or human saliva were found to increase during orgasm in men, and during mating or sexual interactions in rats and rabbits (157, 237, 447, 565, 973, 1033).”
BackgroundInfluentialOxytocin and the Neural Mechanisms Regulating Social Cognition and Affiliative Behavior
Ross, H. E., & Young, L. J. (2009) · Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.05.004 · Cited by 856
“It has been shown that OT is increased in the plasma during sexual arousal and ejaculation or orgasm in humans [112] similar to the release seen in prairie voles during mating [59] and rats and sheep following vaginocervical stimulation [31,113,114].”
Background
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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