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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Measurement of Vibration Detection Threshold and Tactile Spatial Acuity in Human Subjects
Published on: September 1, 2016
Tactile sensitivity in women with sexual arousal disorder
Penny F Frohlich1, Cindy M Meston
1Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Abstract:
Evidence suggests that tactile sensitivity may differ between women with sexual arousal difficulties and women with normal sexual functioning. Tactile sensitivity was examined on the distal portion of the dominant hand index finger and on the lower lip in women with female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) (n = 17) and in normally functioning women (n = 17). The two groups did not differ significantly in age, length of current relationship or on measures of sexual experience and sexual desire. Hierarchical binary logistic regression indicated that finger threshold was significantly associated with FSAD women versus control women, and hierarchical linear regression indicated that finger threshold was associated with severity of arousal dysfunction. Logistic regression showed that 76.5% of participants were correctly classified and 23.5% were incorrectly classified using tactile sensation as a predictor variable. Possible underlying mechanisms and clinical implications are discussed.
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