There are a vast number of nerve endings in the genital organs, making them very sensitive. During stimulation of the genitals, the nerves located within send signals to the spinal cord, from where they reach the brain.

Here are the nerves that transmit information from the genitals to the brain:

  • the ilioguinal nerve transmits information from the labia majora in women, the scrotum, and the root of the penis in men;
  • pelvic visceral nerves transmit impulses from the vagina and cervix in women and from the rectum in both sexes;
  • the pudendal nerve is responsible for transmitting information from the clitoris in women and from the scrotum and penis in men.

Depending on the nerves involved, orgasm can be perceived differently. For example, in women, clitoral orgasm differs from vaginal, while in men, orgasm from penile stimulation will differ from orgasm with additional prostate stimulation.

Do not hesitate to try sex toys and new techniques: stimulating different areas of the genitals will help you achieve new vivid sensations.

Thus, through the nerves in the genitals, irritation reaches the spinal cord and then is sent to the brain.

How the brain reacts to sexual stimulation

The brain has centers of pleasure that allow us to recognize when something pleasant is happening, prompting us to do it again and again.

Dr. Barry Komisaruk from Rutgers University conducted research on female orgasm. Subjects masturbated in an MRI machine, while scientists monitored brain activity at the moment of orgasm. As a result, researchers found out which pleasure centers are activated during climax.

Initially, activity is observed:

  • in the genital somatosensory area of the cerebral cortex, which receives impulses from the genitals;
  • in the thalamus, responsible for redistributing information from the senses;
  • in the cerebellum, which controls muscle functions;
  • in the hypothalamus — a part of the limbic system associated with emotions and hormone production.

Closer to the onset of orgasm and during it, the following are activated:

  • the frontal lobes of the brain, responsible for decision-making;
  • the entorhinal cortex, involved in spatial orientation and memory formation;
  • the anterior cingulate cortex, responsible for emotions and motivation;
  • the insula of the brain, involved in perception and analysis of information obtained from other organs;
  • areas of the limbic system — the amygdala and hippocampus.

Shortly before and during orgasm, activation peaks:

  • in the hypothalamus;
  • in the adjacent nucleus, which controls the dopamine response;
  • in the caudate nucleus — part of the striatum in the brain, where a large amount of dopamine is concentrated.

At the same time, the amount of oxytocin increases, which enhances feelings of trust, and vasopressin, which is responsible for the emergence of attachment feelings.

Due to the release of hormones after sex, feelings of attachment and tenderness towards a partner increase.

As seen in the video below, during orgasm, nearly the entire brain is active. The higher the oxygen level in the blood in a specific area of the brain, the brighter the color it is marked with. During orgasm, almost the entire brain lights up in yellow and orange, indicating that nearly all its areas are active.

However, in some areas of the brain, activity does decrease. This is the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, which is responsible for control over behavior.

Orgasm and lack of control

A team of researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, led by Janniko Georgiadis, conducted several studies on brain activity in men and women during sexual stimulation.

The researchers found that there is almost no difference between the brain activity of men and women during sex. In both sexes, during orgasm, the brain area located opposite the left eye was shut down: the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, responsible for control over behavior.

Janniko Georgiadis suggests that the lateral orbitofrontal cortex may be the basis of control over sexual behavior. Perhaps only by loosening control can one achieve orgasm.

Deactivation of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex occurs only during orgasm. So far, no other activity has been found that causes a similar effect.

Probably, it is the strict control over sexual behavior that prevents some people from achieving orgasm.

Also, at the peak of sexual enjoyment, there is deactivation of the amygdala and entorhinal cortex, which are associated with vigilance and fear. The same suppression of amygdala activity is observed in people under the influence of cocaine. Scientists explain this as a euphoric state that arises during orgasm as well.

However, not everyone manages to reach the peak of pleasure. And the reason lies again in the brain.

Possible causes of anorgasmia

Problems with achieving orgasm can be caused by insufficient levels of dopamine or its receptors.

Sexual dysfunction occurs in 30–50% of people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): citalopram, sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine — a group of third-generation antidepressants. These drugs can reduce the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that provides pleasurable feelings and regulates the reward pathway — sustaining a person's desire to repeat the action that brings pleasure.

It cannot be said that orgasm directly depends on dopamine, as after discontinuing SSRIs, when dopamine levels normalize, some patients still experience sexual dysfunction for an extended period. However, dopamine definitely plays a significant role in achieving orgasm. To increase your chances of sexual climax, you should ensure adequate levels of this hormone. Here’s what you can do:

  1. Get enough sleep. Quality sleep does not affect dopamine levels, but it promotes an increase in the number of dopamine receptors.
  2. Eat foods rich in tyrosine. The amino acid L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, or L-DOPA, is synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine, and it is a precursor to dopamine. There is a lot of tyrosine in rabbit and turkey meat, beans, lentils, peanuts, and sesame, dairy products (cheese and cottage cheese), sunflower seeds, and pumpkin.
  3. Watch your weight. People with obesity exhibit disturbances in dopamine synthesis in the striatum of the brainDo Dopaminergic Impairments Underlie Physical Inactivity in People with Obesity?.