SCIENTISTS UNVEIL THE SENSORY SECRETS OF SEX LIFE
Source of the photo: gargulagotica.pt
New experiments on mice have uncovered low-frequency vibrations that stimulate genital nerve cells. This discovery is expected to lead to new, effective treatments for erectile dysfunction and the resolution of many other related issues.
OVERCOMING TABOOS
Science learned about Krause’s corpuscles more than 150 years ago. These are nerve endings encapsulated in dense «balls» located just beneath the skin. However, as one of the study leaders, David Ginty, a sensory neurobiologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, admitted, he found it challenging to find like-minded colleagues for this work.
Strangely enough, even after a century and a half, there are still not many people in the scientific community, which is generally not considered prudish, who can discuss sex topics easily and freely. Ginty believes that the subject is still often seen as taboo, which unfortunately hinders the study of the fascinating physiology of the genital sensory corpuscles involved in sex.
Nevertheless, a research group in Boston managed to form, ready to study the sensory nerve cells in the clitoris of female mice and the penis of male mice.
GENITALS – ANOTHER SET OF «HANDS»?
Scientists were met with an astonishing discovery: these structures are analogous to those found in human hands. When the skin of our hands slides over a textured surface, these cells are activated, responding to the resulting vibrations. Something similar happens with the genitals.
Through a series of experiments on mice, researchers uncovered some secrets of mammalian sexual behavior, including that of humans. There are specific nerve cells on the penis and clitoris that can detect low-frequency vibrations.
Upon detecting these vibrations, these cells activate, triggering sexual behavior that results in an erection.
SEX TOYS: VIBRATION STRICTLY «BY SCIENCE»
Ginty and his colleagues, sensory biologists, set their sights on studying these mysterious neuronal «balls» about 20 years ago. However, aside from cultural limitations, there were more significant technological constraints. Until recently, it was nearly impossible to activate and monitor specific neurons, but advanced molecular methods have now made this possible.
Ginty’s team activated Krause’s corpuscles in male and female mice using various mechanical and electrical stimuli. They discovered that the neurons respond to low-frequency vibrations in the range of 40–80 Hertz. Ginty notes that these frequencies are commonly used in many sex toys.
He believes that without scientific knowledge, people determined through experience that these frequencies are the best way to stimulate Krause’s corpuscles. Thus, sex toys were invented. Official experiments have now provided scientific validation for this discovery.
THAT’S WHY WOMEN ARE MORE SENSITIVE!
In recounting the history of the discovery, Nature refers to the results of a study published a year earlier. It found that the genitals of male and female mice contain a nearly constant number of Krause’s corpuscles –their number doesn’t increase over the animals’ lifetimes but redistributes in the subcutaneous space as the genitals grow.
However, the clitoris contains about 15 times more corpuscles than the penis. Given that the clitoris is much smaller, this explains its heightened sensitivity compared to the penis. «It’s almost entirely Krause’s corpuscles», says Ginty about the clitoris, «and we believe that each one functions as a vibration detector».
NO CORPUSCLES, NO LOVE!
Determined to unravel the role of Krause’s corpuscles in sex, Ginty’s team designed an experiment where light flashes activated the neurons of these corpuscles. In anesthetized mice, this activation caused erections in males and vaginal contractions in females.
However, mice deprived of Krause’s corpuscles were unable to mate typically. This led scientists to hypothesize that these structures are essential for sex—without them, mouse love doesn’t happen.
Most sensory neurons form before birth. However, researchers discovered that Krause’s corpuscles did not develop until the mice were about 4–6 weeks old, appearing just before the animals reached sexual maturity.
NOT IN THE BRAIN OR THE HEART: WE ALL «LOVE WITH OUR SPINE»
In the next phase, scientists began studying how these late-developing neural structures connect with the body’s existing nervous system. It was found that the corpuscles «integrate» into a specific sensory region of the spinal cord. Stimulation of this area induced erections and genital contractions, even if the connection between the spinal cord and the brain was severed.
Researchers hypothesized that sexual reflexes are automatic. Their upcoming plans include studying other aspects of Krause’s corpuscles. Ginty and his team aim to determine whether these neurons trigger sensations of pleasure in the brain and how their sensitivity changes with age.
SEXUAL HEALING
Ginty’s colleagues say that the work of the Boston biologists opens new avenues for further research in various directions. For instance, Alexander Chesler, a sensory biologist at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in Bethesda, believes that Ginty’s research complements his own.
Previously, Chesler’s group discovered that a sensory protein in the genitals is necessary for successful mating. «Sex is a fundamental area of biology and one of the main driving forces of evolution», says Chesler. The research opens new prospects for treating conditions such as erectile dysfunction and vaginal pain.
Additionally, this research could lead to new methods for restoring sexual function in individuals with lower body paralysis resulting from illness or injury.
Original research: Sensory secrets of penis and clitoris unlocked after more than 150 years
