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Psychobiological Factors in Human Sexuality and their Relevance to Research

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Because sex is unique in the link between behavior and physiological response ... The Hannover Group, West Germany. Kruger and colleagues (1998 ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Psychobiological Factors in Human Sexuality and their Relevance to Research


1
Psycho-biological Factors in Human Sexuality and
their Relevance to Research
  • John Bancroft MD

2
Importance of Knowledge to Public Private Health
  • Normal sexual development
  • Sex education
  • Sexuality in marriage

3
Problems Related to Sex and to Public Private
Health
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Unplanned pregnancies
  • Sexual assaults and rape
  • Child sexual abuse
  • Sexual dysfunctions

4
Why is this so difficult?
  • Because sex is unique in the link between
    behavior and physiological response
  • Our behavior is influenced by the physiological
    state we call sexual arousal
  • Problems result because
  • People get sexually aroused when they shouldnt
    or
  • They dont get sexually aroused when they should

5
Important research questions
  • Why do some people take sexual risks?
  • Most of us manage to avoid them most of the time
  • Why do some people develop sexual interests which
    get them (and others) into trouble
  • E.g. sexually assaulting adults, or abusing
    children?
  • Why problems with sexual response?
  • Why are some people more vulnerable to such
    problems?

6
Other Important research questions
  • How can we help people to manage their sexual
    lives more sensibly?
  • How can we reduce the likelihood of unacceptable
    sexual behavior?
  • How can we help with problems of sexual response?

7
What is sex research?Mostly asking people
questions about their sexual lives- face-to-face
interviews- questionnaires-computerized methods
8
The psycho-biological approachWilliam Masters
and Virginia Johnson were pioneers in the 1960s
9
The Hannover Group, West GermanyKruger and
colleagues (1998-)Biochemical and hormonal
changes during sexual arousal and following
orgasm
10
Increase in prolactin after orgasm (ten minute
intervals)
11
The Rigiscan
12
Response
13
No Response
14
What about genital response in women?
15
Vaginal Photoplethysmography
16
Vaginal Photoplethysmography
17
Examples of application of these measures
  • Normal and abnormal sexual physiology
  • Basis of sexual response in women
  • Hormone deficiency and replacement
  • Drug treatment for sexual dysfunction
  • Assessment of sexual offenders -risk of
    re-offending
  • Comparison of high and low sexual risk-takers

18
Studying the brainusing functional brain
Imaginge.g., PET andfMRI scanning
19
Paris group -INSERMStoleru and colleaguese.g.
comparison of men with and without low sexual
desire disorder (2003)
20
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21
What about the use of pornography in this
research?
22
1. Choose the images carefully to a) Suit the
specific research objective b) Be appropriate
for the subject (e.g. women v men)3. Insure the
subject is fully informed4. Protect privacy of
the research subject as far as possible (for both
ethical and scientific reasons)
23
Scientific research into the psycho-biology of
human sexuality is important for public and
private health
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