Brain Activation during Human Male Ejaculation
Open accessAbstract
Brain mechanisms that control human sexual behavior in general, and ejaculation in particular, are poorly understood. We used positron emission tomography to measure increases in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during ejaculation compared with sexual stimulation in heterosexual male volunteers. Manual penile stimulation was performed by the volunteer's female partner. Primary activation was found in the mesodiencephalic transition zone, including the ventral tegmental area, which is involved in a wide variety of rewarding behaviors. Parallels are drawn between ejaculation and heroin rush. Other activated mesodiencephalic structures are the midbrain lateral central tegmental field, zona incerta, subparafascicular nucleus, and the ventroposterior, midline, and intralaminar thalamic nuclei. Increased activation was also present in the lateral putamen and adjoining parts of the claustrum. Neocortical activity was only found in Brodmann areas 7/40, 18, 21, 23, and 47, exclusively on the right side. On the basis of studies in rodents, the medial preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and amygdala are thought to be involved in ejaculation, but increased rCBF was not found in any of these regions. Conversely, in the amygdala and adjacent entorhinal cortex, a decrease in activation was observed. Remarkably strong rCBF increases were observed in the cerebellum. These findings corroborate the recent notion that the cerebellum plays an important role in emotional processing. The present study for the first time provides insight into which regions in the human brain play a primary role in ejaculation, and the results might have important implications for our understanding of how human ejaculation is brought about, and for our ability to improve sexual function and satisfaction in men.
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During sexual self-stimulation, for both men and women, activity in the cerebellum, ACC, VTA, and NAc steadily increases until orgasm is reached.
“During sexual self-stimulation, for both men and women, activity in the cerebellum, ACC, VTA, and NAc steadily increases until orgasm is reached [133,134].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [134]
The Abstract (page not provided) reports increased cerebellar and VTA activity during ejaculation compared with sexual stimulation in male volunteers. The Participants section says stimulation was performed by their partners, not by the volunteers themselves. The paper does not establish a steady increase up to orgasm, findings in women, or increased ACC and NAc activity. (LLM, conf=0.90)
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- Authors
- Holstege, G., Georgiadis, J. R., Paans, A. M. J., Meiners, L. C., van der Graaf, F. H. C. E., & Reinders, A. A. T. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2003-10-08
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 27
- Pages
- 9185-9193
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC6740826
- OpenAlex
- W2120447828
- Cited by
- 424
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 12.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- brain activation, regional cerebral blood flow, sexual behavior, ventral tegmental area, cerebellum, claustrum, thalamic nuclei, sexual stimulation, reward, sexual function
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Blood Flow Velocity, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cerebellum, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Ejaculation, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Mesencephalon, Middle Aged, Oxygen Radioisotopes, Penile Erection, Physical Stimulation, Reference Values, Sexual Partners, Time Factors, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Heterosexuality
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