Physiology of Sexual Response

Question 1

Masters and Johnsons 4 stages of sexual response

Answer 1

Excitement: increasing of arousal
Plateau: very high intensity of arousal
Orgasm: release of neuromuscular tension
- shortest stage
Resolution: going back to the baseline

can differ in length of time but always in this order!

Question 2

Two basic physiological processes that occur during these stages

Answer 2

Vasocongestion: engorgement of blood in the structures
Myotonia: muscular tension

Question 3

Male genitals in the excitement stage:

Answer 3

Erection begins - the sexual stimulation tells the brain to send messages to pump blood to the 2 cavernous bodies and 1 spongey body

smooth muscles in the penis control the increase of blood in the area, they dilate to allow more blood - volume increases

Testes elevate towards perineum, skin of scrotum thickens, tenses, elevates

Question 4

In what other context can a male get an erection?

Answer 4

Relaxation: parasympathetic state allows smooth muscles to open up

Morning woods: waking up with an erection
CAUSE: REM sleep (dream state but it doesn’t matter the kind of dream)
- Vasodilation of the periphery

Question 5

Male genitals in Plateau

Answer 5

Full erection occurs:
- penile gland color deepens
- testes increase in size + fully elevate and the prostate is enlarged

Cowper’s gland: secretes an alkaline fluid (pre-cum) that rinses out the urethra making it more hospitable for sperm and lubricates the glands of the penis

Question 6

Nervous system control of erection

Answer 6

An erection is produced by a spinal reflex and can also be produced by tactile stimulation

There are two major neurological highways that can trigger an erectile response process

1. touch receptor on the penis: synapse with the sacral portion of the spinal cord
2. one that goes up to the brain: going to be mashed with associations, experiences, conscious perception and control of sexual response

Question 7

Orgasm?

Answer 7

sensation of pleasure that happens in the limbic system that is felt in the genital area

People can experience an orgasm without ejaculating or can ejaculate without feeling the intense pleasure that accompanies orgasm

Question 8

Ejaculation: 2 stages

Answer 8

1. Emission
2. Expulsion

Question 9

Emission

Answer 9

all the fluids are put under pressure in the ejaculatory duct
- there is a door between the bladder and the urethra in the prostate called the “internal sphincter which closes off urine from an erection
- There is another door called the external sphinter and when this door closes there is a pressure in the urethra that goes through the prostate and that is the point of no return
- no matter what the person will ejaculate

Question 10

Expulsion

Answer 10

when the ejaculation of the ejaculate is expulsed through the urethra
- expulse at intervals of 0.8 seconds

Question 11

Retrograde Ejaculation

Answer 11

when the internal sphincter is damaged or person is taking meds that influence muscles there won’t be anything coming out of the urethra but instead goes through the internal sphincter and goes into the bladder

Question 12

how to stop ejaculation:

Answer 12

breathing and relaxing
- not being tense

Question 13

Male Genitals in Resolution

Answer 13

body returns to unaroused state
- about 15-30 mins
- Gradual return of pulse rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate to the unaroused levels

Question 14

Refractory period

Answer 14

time during which an erection or orgasm are not possible even with effective stimulation
- Depends on different things but mainly age

Females do not have a refractory period during the resolution phase - they can have multiple orgasms

Question 15

Female genitals during excitement:

Answer 15

engorgement of blood in the clitoris - the legs + vestibular bulbs enlarge
- the uterus elevates
- the walls of the vagina start sweating + lubricating
- depends on vasocongestion + estrogen
- vagina is dry post menopause

Question 16

Estrogen’s role:

Answer 16

vaginal lubrication- a plasma product like sweat
- transparent and thin and functions to neutralize the acidity of the vagina and gives lubrication for the friction of penetration to protect the walls

Question 17

Female genitals during plateau:

Answer 17

clitoris retracts under the hood (disapears a bit)
- inner labia swells and turns bright red

• outer 3rd of the vagina forms the orgasmic platform - entrance becomes narrower
• inner thirds expand and lengthen - longer at larger at bottom

Bartholin glands: homologous and analogous to the Cowper gland
- 2 glands that sit inside the vaginal opening
- They are alkaline and lubricate the entrance of the vagina during the plateau phase

Question 18

Female genitals during orgasm:

Answer 18

no point of no return - arousal level can be interrupted at any moment
- contraction at intervals of .08 and 5-10 contractions

Question 19

G-spot

Answer 19

• They say the G-spot is for vaginal orgasms, but penises don’t bend in that way so impossible for it to put pressure there
• Beverly Whipple said its not a spot but a region

Question 20

Skene glands

Answer 20

around the urethra: correspondence to prostate so female prostate
- remanence from the embryotic tissue of the prostate
- Females don’t have prostate glands, they get dissolved and reabsorbed in the body, no equivalent structure to the prostate in female internal genitals so this is like leftovers

NOT the g-spot

Question 21

Does the G-spot exist?

Answer 21

G-spot doesn’t exist
- It’s rly the back end of the clitoris - the clitoral complex (complex of structures that become sensitive to sexual stimulation)

• Including: Clitoris, bulbs, urethra and vagina

Question 22

what is the male g-spot?

Answer 22

Prostate