Modulation of spinal reflexes by aversive and sexually appetitive stimuli.
In this study, modulation of spinal tendinous (T) reflexes by sexual stimulation was investigated. T reflexes are augmented in states of appetitive and defensive action and modified by differences in arousal intensity. Reflexes were expected to be facilitated by both pleasant (sexual) and unpleasant (anxiety) stimuli. Subjects were exposed to a sexual, an anxiety-inducing, a sexually threatening, and a neutral film excerpt. Genital arousal, emotional experience, subjective action tendencies, and T reflexes were monitored. Self-report and genital data confirmed the affective states as intended. T reflex amplitude significantly increased during viewing of emotionally arousing film excerpts as compared with a neutral film excerpt. T reflexes were facilitated by the sex stimulus to the same extent as by the anxiety and sexual threat stimuli. The results support the view of sexual arousal as an emotional state, generating sex-specific autonomic and general somatic motor system responses, which prepare the organism for action.
Both
Stephanie
S
Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. kp_both@macmail.psy.uva.nl
Everaerd
Walter
W
Laan
Ellen
E
D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000502:physiology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*