The region of the brain linked to stimulation of the clitoris has been identified

Our body constantly sends sensory information to our brain. The somatosensory cortex is in charge of capturing and integrating them. Each part of the body corresponds to a specific region of the somatosensory cortex, thus forming a true cerebral map of the human body. Certain organs had not yet found their place there. This is the case of clitoris, the female organ dedicated to sexual pleasure, but not only.

A new study, published on December 20, 2021 in Journal Of Neuroscience, identified the brain region linked to clitoral stimulation. The twenty participants, women aged 18 to 45, have spent a Functional MRI to probe their brains while a tactile device stimulated their clitoris. The active brain regions then appear on the images.

Replacing clitoral stimulation in the brain

This is not the first study to focus on this subject, but the place of the clitoris on the map of the somatosensory cortex was debated. Some believe it is located near the foot, others near the hip. If the answer was not yet clear, it is because stimulation techniques influence the brain’s response. Stimulation by a partner necessarily blurs the tracks because other parts of the body are involved, in addition to the clitoris.

In this case, the device created by the scientists ensures that the brain responds only to stimulation of the clitoris. It is also a little more evolved than its predecessors, based on electrical stimulation, since its membrane solicits the clitoris by vibrations.

Results specific to each woman

As a result, the place of the clitoris in the somatosensory cortex is next to the hip – as had been observed for the penis. These are Brodmann areas 1, 2 and 3a, located along the post-central gyrus, but the exact location varies a lot between women. For each of the participants, the researchers measured the thickness of the ten most active areas. The goal is to make the connection between their sexual habits and the structure of their brain. ” We found an association between the frequency sex and the thickness of the genital region individually mapped », Explains Christine Heim, the main instigator of this research.

In other words, the participants who reported frequent intercourse had a thicker brain in the region activated by stimulation of the clitoris than the others. However, the authors do not say that sex makes these brain regions grow, more studies are needed to confirm this point. The greater thickness also does not mean that the woman will be more sensitive. clitoral stimulation or that she would be inclined to have more sex than others.

These observations could prove useful in the care of women who have suffered sexual violence, by acting directly on the areas of the brain activated by the clitoris.