July 08, 2005
Wired feature article on sexual neuroscience:
Wired has a feature article online about research into the neuropsychology of female orgasm and the approach of current lab based studies.
This sort of research is important, because so little is known about the neural basis of sexual function. In particular, the article describes some intriguing findings, that not all nerves involved in genital arousal route through the spinal cord, some may go more directly to the brain.
Unfortunately, the article frames much of the research in terms of drug development for sexual dysfunction, which is so often the case in these sort of pieces. This is perhaps because much of the research may be funded by drug companies.
This shouldn't mean however, that journalists should uncritically reproduce the assumptions that these sources promote - mainly that sexual dysfunction is defined in terms of someone else's arbitrary criteria, and is best treated by (usually expensive) pharmaceuticals.
Link to Wired article 'The Coming Boom'.
Link to an alternative take on sexual neuroscience by sex psychologist Petra Boyton.
