Cardiovascular and endocrine alterations after masturbation-induced orgasmin women

Objective: The present study investigated the cardiovascular, genital, and endocrine changes in women after masturbation-induced orgasm because the ne uroendocrine response to sexual arousal in humans is equivocal. Methods: He althy women (N = 10) completed an experimental session, in which a document ary film was observed for 20 minutes, followed by a pornographic film for 2 0 minutes, and another documentary for an additional 20 minutes. Subjects a lso participated in a control session, in which participants watched a docu mentary film for 60 minutes. After subjects bad watched the pornographic hi m for 10 minutes in the experimental session, they were asked to masturbate until orgasm. Cardiovascular (heart rate and blood pressure) and genital ( vaginal pulse amplitude) parameters were monitored continuously throughout testing. Furthermore, blood was drawn continuously for analysis of plasma c oncentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizin g hormone (LH), beta-endorphin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testost erone, progesterone, and estradiol. Results: Orgasm induced elevations in c ardiovascular parameters and levels of plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline. Plasma prolactin substantially increased after orgasm, remained elevated o ver the remainder of the session, and was still raised 60 minutes after sex ual arousal. In addition, sexual arousal also produced small increases in p lasma LH and testosterone concentrations. In contrast, plasma concentration s of cortisol, FSH, p-endorphin, progesterone, and estradiol were unaffecte d by orgasm. Conclusions: Sexual arousal and orgasm produce a distinct patt ern of neuroendocrine alterations in women, primarily inducing a long-lasti ng elevation in plasma prolactin concentrations. These results concur with those observed in men, suggesting that prolactin is an endocrine marker of sexual arousal and orgasm.