For the first time, researchers have been able to define the precise location of the representation of the clitoris in the brain of women.

The study published this Monday in 

JNeurosci

 shows that this area, activated when the clitoris is stimulated, is more extensive in women who have more sex.

When a part of the body is affected, neural activity is triggered in the somatosensory cortex.

Each part of the body corresponds to an area of ​​the brain, forming a sort of body map.

Until now, the precise place dedicated to the female genitals remained subject to debate.

Science marches on #Clitoris #medtwitter #mri https://t.co/8lnMT50539 via @GoogleNews

- Jim Hankins (@ltecato) December 22, 2021

Hope for victims of sexual violence

Previous studies have placed it under the representation of the foot, others near that of the hip.

In 2005, the precise location of the representation of the male sex was identified, but the female equivalent was still unknown.

The study concludes that in both women and men, the representation of the genitals is well located near that of the hip.

The work was done by stimulating the clitoris of 20 women while having an MRI scan of their brains.

It is not yet known whether the size of the area has a connection with the sensations, and if it is this size which pushes to more sexual intercourse or the other way around.

But the study could help develop better treatments for victims of sexual violence or suffering from sexual disorders.

"The way the female genitalia are represented in the human somatosensory cortex is completely under-studied," says Christine Heim, professor of medical psychology in Berlin and co-author of the study.

This lack of knowledge has hampered research both on standard sexual behaviors, but also on pathological conditions.

"

A variable surface depending on the experience

The 20 women were also asked about the frequency of their intercourse in the past 12 months as well as the start of their sexual life.

"We found a link between the thickness of the genital area and the frequency of intercourse [over one year]," explains Christine Heim.

The more intercourse, the thicker the area.

"

The plasticity of the brain is known: certain parts develop as a function is used.

Christime Heim had already shown in 2013 that victims of sexual violence had a reduced genital area and had assumed that it could be “the brain's response to limit the harmful effect of abuse”.

Further studies are needed to verify this hypothesis.

In the future, the goal is to develop ways to help patients: the researcher wants to study whether certain sexual disorders are linked to alterations in the genital area.

Therapies aimed at "training" this area could then, perhaps, be considered.

Health

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Society

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  • Sexual violence

  • study

  • Science

  • Sexuality

  • Brain

  • Neurology

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