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Reward sensitivity is associated with brain activity during erotic stimulus processing.

Victor Costumero¹, Alfonso Barrós-Loscertales, Juan Carlos Bustamante

¹Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain. vcostume@uji.es

|July 11, 2013

Summary

The behavioral approach system (BAS) influences how the brain processes rewards. Higher BAS traits correlate with increased brain activity in reward areas when viewing erotic images.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Neuroimaging

Background:

The behavioral approach system (BAS) is a key component of Gray's reinforcement sensitivity theory.
BAS is theorized to involve dopaminergic pathways and modulate reward processing.
Previous research linked BAS to processing rewards like money and food.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between BAS-related traits and neural responses to erotic stimuli.
To test Gray's hypothesis that BAS traits modulate reward brain area functioning.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
Participants viewed erotic, neutral, and predictive cue stimuli.
The Sensitivity to Reward scale assessed BAS-related traits in 45 heterosexual men.

Main Results:

Sensitivity to Reward scores positively correlated with brain activity in the left orbitofrontal cortex, left insula, and right ventral striatum.
These brain regions showed heightened activity during reactivity to erotic pictures.
The findings link BAS traits to neural processing of sexual rewards.

Conclusions:

This study provides evidence for the role of BAS in processing erotic stimuli.
It demonstrates a neural basis for reward sensitivity in the context of sexual cues.
The findings extend understanding of BAS beyond non-sexual rewards like money and food.