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Methods to Quantify Pharmacologically Induced Alterations in Motor Function in Human Incomplete SCI
Published on: April 18, 2011
Modulation of spinal reflexes by sexual films of increasing intensity
Stephanie Both1, Geert Boxtel, Jeroen Stekelenburg
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. sboth@uva.nl
Abstract:
Sexual arousal can be viewed as an emotional state generating sex-specific autonomic and general somatic motor system responses that prepare for sexual action. In the present study modulation of spinal tendious (T) reflexes by sexual films of varying intensity was investigated. T reflexes were expected to increase as a function of increased film intensity. Through use of a between-subjects design, participants were exposed to three erotic films of low, moderate, and high intensity or to three films of moderate intensity. Self-report and genital data confirmed the induction of increasing versus stable levels of sexual arousal. Exposure to the films of increasing intensity resulted in increasing T reflexes. The results indicate that T reflex modulation is sensitive to varying levels of sexual arousal and may be of use in research on behavioral mechanisms underlying appetitive motivation.
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