http://mindhacks.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/ Neuroscience and psychology news and views. Wed, 22 May 2013 13:23:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-13304 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:05:16 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-13304 Would this article indicate that anxiety would compound the ability for the female to have an orgasm?
Would the ability of the brain to allay these emotions during an orgasm cause intrest in this observation as a truth?

]]> http://mindhacks.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-6674 Sat, 17 May 2008 13:43:17 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-6674 Mark, I think what Vaughan is referring to is the concept of Double Dissociation which is an invaluable tool in assessing brain function in brain injured clients.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_dissociation
Imaging is very useful, but would show multiple brain areas involved in say, language processing. For example, the right hemisphere of the brain is involved in non verbal communication such as pitch and volume in speech, as well as sense of humour. The left hemisphere in comparison is generally involved in language and speech production. It is this double dissociation of function that allows us to say with good confidence what cognitive function different brain areas are critically involved in. Imaging studies on the other hand merely show associations, not cause.
The boy with a missing right hemisphere almost certainly has many cognitive disabilities, despite surviving his injury.
To return to Vaughan’s orgasm example, imaging might show many different areas of the brain being active during arousal and orgasm, but would not indicate which areas are critical. For example, language areas might be involved if the person being scanned was talking to their partner! (can we fit lovemaking couples into fMRI scanners?!)
Brain Injury on the other hand might allow us to make a dissociation between, for example, arousal and orgasm. Unfortunately, this is an area of disability which brain injured people and their partners are generally reluctant to speak about.

]]> http://mindhacks.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-6673 Fri, 16 May 2008 17:29:43 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/orgasm-and-brain/#comment-6673 I disagree with what you wrote “research with brain injured patients is one of the most powerful methods.”
Brain plasticity in the young and brain damaged, shows brain areas can change their function depending on the patient.
unbelievablefacts.info/2007/10/boy-shot-left-with-half-brain.html
Small Brain Defies Doctors’ Expectations medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=82658

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