Physiology of sexual response Flashcards
(45 cards)
What is the sexual response cycle?
Desire, excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution
What is desire?
Spontaneous sexual interest controlled by the brain, which can be triggered by sounds, smell and movement and include erotic fantasies and sexual thoughts.
What is libido?
Sex drive
What are the factors that affect arousal?
Sex (male vs female) age difference (younger people achieve arousal faster)
How can desire be influenced?
Based on societal and cultural values that determine what you value or judge as good or bad desire. Thoughts, feelings and past experiences also have an impact.
What are the physiological signs of arousal?
Raised BP, pulse rate, RR and depth of breathing. Nipple erection, genital and pelvic vascular engorgement and flushing.
What is tumescence?
Swelling of organs and structures due to increased blood flow. This occurs in the clitoris and vagina during arousal.
Female physiological response to arousal?
Breasts enlarge, nipples erect, vaginal secretions occur, clitoris and labia undergo tumescence, vasocongestion occurs, cervix elongates and widens
What is the scrotum?
Skin beind the penis covering the testicles. During arousal it enlarges and in the resolution phase, it shrinks and relaxes.
Male physiological response to arousal?
Penis erects, scrotum enlarges.
What is vasocongestion?
Swelling due to increased blood flow.
Where does production of semen occur?
Sperm - a component of semen- is produced in the testes. It travels from the testes -> epidydymis -> vas deferens -> prostate gland and seminal vesicle that produces seminal white fluid containing nutrients that nourishes sperm
What is the plateau?
Period prior to an orgasm which can last for minutes to hours and resolve without orgasm.
What is the male plateau?
Urethral sphincter contracts, cowper’s gland releases pre-ejaculation fluid, testes rise.
What is retrograde ejaculation?
Semen flow moves backward in the urethra towards the bladder when the urethra contracts. If this occurs continuously, may lead to infertility.
What is the female plateau?
Clitoris becomes sensitive and withdraws, Bartholin’s glands around the labia swell and there is an orgasmic platform.
What is an orgasmic platform?
Tissues of the outer third of the vagina and the labia minora swell and may undergo muscular contractions and reduce the diameter of the vaginal opening.
What is an orgasm?
Occurs after the plateau phase with a series of muscular contractions and peak of BP, HR and RR and contraction of the pelvic floor and anus for either sex. It releases sexual tension, endorphins. It varies with age.
What is the male orgasm?
Single resolution via ejaculation and contraction of the urethra, pelvic floor and anus.
What is the female orgasm?
Multiple orgasms can occur to and from the plateau phase. Mutile contrations of the uterus, vagina, pelvic floor and anus.
What is resolution?
Relaxation phase after orgasm- for males, there is a compulsory refractory period of rest.
What is male resolution?
Compulsory refractory period- scrotum relaxes, testes drop and nipples and penis softens.
What is female resolution?
Blood vessels dilate and pelvic organs drain and the cervix drops down into the vagina after 30 mins.
How does aging affect sex for men?
Delayed erection, less firm penis, require more excitement for erection, shorter plateau phase, less ejaculation fluid and longer refractory period.
