Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man: A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study

Patrik Jern; Jinglu Chen; Jouni Tuisku; Tiina Saanijoki; Jussi Hirvonen; Lasse Lukkarinen; Sandra Manninen; Semi Helin; Vesa Putkinen; Lauri Nummenmaa

doi:10.2967/jnumed.123.265512

Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man: A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study

Patrik Jern, Jinglu Chen, Jouni Tuisku, Tiina Saanijoki, Jussi Hirvonen, Lasse Lukkarinen, Sandra Manninen, Semi Helin, Vesa Putkinen, Lauri Nummenmaa

Psychology

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Abstract

The endogenous m-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in the mammalian reward circuit. Human and animal experiments suggest the involvement of MORs in human sexual pleasure, yet this hypothesis currently lacks in vivo support. Methods: We used PET with the radioligand [11C]carfentanil, which has high affinity for MORs, to quantify endogenous opioid release after orgasm in man. Participants were scanned once immediately after orgasm and once in a baseline state. Hemodynamic activity was measured with functional MRI during penile stimulation. Results: The PET data revealed significant opioid release in the hippocampus. Hemodynamic activity in the somatosensory and motor cortices and in the hippocampus and thalamus increased during penile stimulation, and thalamic activation was linearly dependent on self-reported sexual arousal. Conclusion: Our data show that endogenous opioidergic activation in the medial temporal lobe is centrally involved in sexual arousal, and this circuit may be implicated in orgasmic disorders.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1310-1313
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Medicine
Volume	64
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.123.265512
Publication status	Published - 2023
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

orgasm
manual penile stimulation
arousal
Opioids
fMRI
PET

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title = "Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man: A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study",

abstract = "The endogenous m-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in the mammalian reward circuit. Human and animal experiments suggest the involvement of MORs in human sexual pleasure, yet this hypothesis currently lacks in vivo support. Methods: We used PET with the radioligand [11C]carfentanil, which has high affinity for MORs, to quantify endogenous opioid release after orgasm in man. Participants were scanned once immediately after orgasm and once in a baseline state. Hemodynamic activity was measured with functional MRI during penile stimulation. Results: The PET data revealed significant opioid release in the hippocampus. Hemodynamic activity in the somatosensory and motor cortices and in the hippocampus and thalamus increased during penile stimulation, and thalamic activation was linearly dependent on self-reported sexual arousal. Conclusion: Our data show that endogenous opioidergic activation in the medial temporal lobe is centrally involved in sexual arousal, and this circuit may be implicated in orgasmic disorders.",

keywords = "orgasm, manual penile stimulation, arousal, Opioids, fMRI, PET",

author = "Patrik Jern and Jinglu Chen and Jouni Tuisku and Tiina Saanijoki and Jussi Hirvonen and Lasse Lukkarinen and Sandra Manninen and Semi Helin and Vesa Putkinen and Lauri Nummenmaa",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.2967/jnumed.123.265512",

language = "English",

volume = "64",

pages = "1310--1313",

journal = "Journal of Nuclear Medicine",

issn = "0161-5505",

publisher = "Society of Nuclear Medicine",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man

T2 - A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study

AU - Jern, Patrik

AU - Chen, Jinglu

AU - Tuisku, Jouni

AU - Saanijoki, Tiina

AU - Hirvonen, Jussi

AU - Lukkarinen, Lasse

AU - Manninen, Sandra

AU - Helin, Semi

AU - Putkinen, Vesa

AU - Nummenmaa, Lauri

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The endogenous m-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in the mammalian reward circuit. Human and animal experiments suggest the involvement of MORs in human sexual pleasure, yet this hypothesis currently lacks in vivo support. Methods: We used PET with the radioligand [11C]carfentanil, which has high affinity for MORs, to quantify endogenous opioid release after orgasm in man. Participants were scanned once immediately after orgasm and once in a baseline state. Hemodynamic activity was measured with functional MRI during penile stimulation. Results: The PET data revealed significant opioid release in the hippocampus. Hemodynamic activity in the somatosensory and motor cortices and in the hippocampus and thalamus increased during penile stimulation, and thalamic activation was linearly dependent on self-reported sexual arousal. Conclusion: Our data show that endogenous opioidergic activation in the medial temporal lobe is centrally involved in sexual arousal, and this circuit may be implicated in orgasmic disorders.

AB - The endogenous m-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in the mammalian reward circuit. Human and animal experiments suggest the involvement of MORs in human sexual pleasure, yet this hypothesis currently lacks in vivo support. Methods: We used PET with the radioligand [11C]carfentanil, which has high affinity for MORs, to quantify endogenous opioid release after orgasm in man. Participants were scanned once immediately after orgasm and once in a baseline state. Hemodynamic activity was measured with functional MRI during penile stimulation. Results: The PET data revealed significant opioid release in the hippocampus. Hemodynamic activity in the somatosensory and motor cortices and in the hippocampus and thalamus increased during penile stimulation, and thalamic activation was linearly dependent on self-reported sexual arousal. Conclusion: Our data show that endogenous opioidergic activation in the medial temporal lobe is centrally involved in sexual arousal, and this circuit may be implicated in orgasmic disorders.

KW - orgasm

KW - manual penile stimulation

KW - arousal

KW - Opioids

KW - fMRI

KW - PET

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DO - 10.2967/jnumed.123.265512

M3 - Article

SN - 0161-5505

VL - 64

SP - 1310

EP - 1313

JO - Journal of Nuclear Medicine

JF - Journal of Nuclear Medicine

IS - 8

ER -

Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man: A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study

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Keywords

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