SEXUAL AROUSABILITY AND THE MENSTRUAL-CYCLE

We have repeated a study of the objective (labium minus temperature) a nd subjective (semantic scales) changes in sexual arousability over th e menstrual cycle to erotic video stimulation in 20 women with natural cycles. We extended the study with concomitant vibrotactile stimulati on of the clitoral region. In an earlier study women tested for the fi rst time in their follicular phase were sexually more aroused (as indi cated by greater increase in labium minus temperature) than women test ed for the first time during their luteal phase. When these women were retested in their alternative phase of the menstrual cycle, those who were then follicular did not score higher than those who were then lu teal. We then postulated the involvement of a cognitive or conditioned phenomenon which was responsible for the women's repeating their init ial phase-dependent response when tested the second time in their alte rnative phase of the cycle. Identical results were obtained in the pre sent study as far as sexual arousability is concerned during the first test, i.e. follicular women generally scored higher than luteal women ; this difference in response persisted during the second test. Concom itant vibrotactile stimulation had no effect on labium minus temperatu re change but raised subjective sexual arousal and caused a 'more plea surable' response to the erotic video. Subjective sexual and subjectiv e genital arousal were positively correlated, but neither was signific antly correlated with labium minus temperature change. The relationshi p between menstrual cycle phase and sexual arousal was further substan tiated by the reported greater increase in sexual desire after the fir st erotic video in follicular women than in luteal women. This increas ed desire, as well as more erotic fantasies, persisted during the next 24 h. In conclusion, studies into effects of menstrual cycle phase on sexual arousability in the laboratory should seriously consider the p ossible learning and conditioning effects as suggested by the present investigation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd