Dr. Jennifer Brown has done extensive research on the effects of pornography on children's developing brains. This PowerPoint presentation details some of the main points of her study. Dr. Brown presented this information to the Prevent Child Abuse Utah Joining Forces Conference in October 2014. This research was also instrumental in passing S.B. 227 in Utah to allow a judge to reduce or restrict custody if a parent has intentionally exposed their child to pornography.

1. HOW PORNOGRAPHY
AFFECTS THE
DEVELOPING BRAIN
DR. JENNIFER BROWN

2. EXPOSURE TO SEXUALLY
EXPLICIT MATERIAL CAUSES A
RELEASE OF STRESS
HORMONES ALSO KNOWN AS
THE “FIGHT OR FLIGHT”
RESPONSE.

3. When children are shopping with their mothers,
and they see a sexually explicit image, their
bodies undergo the stress response, also
known as the fight-or-flight response.
Dr. Judith Reisman testified before Congress
and explained how pornography activates the
fight-or-flight response, triggering an instant,
involuntary, and lasting biochemical trail;
emotionally arousing images imprint and alter
the brain.

4. THE STRESS
COMPOUNDS
•Neurotransmitters:
•Dopamine
•Norepinephrine
•Hormones:
• Cortisol
•Norepinephrine
•Testosterone

5. STRESS
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
AND HORMONES INHIBIT
THE PREFRONTAL
CORTEX AND STIMULATE
THE BASAL GANGLIA

6. THE PREFRONTAL
CORTEX
Self-control
Moral
judgmen
t
Emotion
al
regulatio
n
Ability to
work
toward a
defined
Planning
goal
Complex
cognitive
behavior
Analysis
s

7. LIMBIC SYSTEM
The limbic system has been referred to as the
emotional center of the brain. The amygdala is part
of the limbic system. It is responsible for signaling to
other brain areas in response to emotionally
significant visual stimuli (Phan et al., 2002).
The amygdala works more
efficiently under stress

8. HIPPOCAMPUS
The hippocampus is also part of the limbic
system. The hippocampus is involved in
learning and memory (McEwen, 2001;
2004).
The hippocampus plays a critical role in
explicit memory, which is concerned with
facts and events (Sapolsky, 2003).

9. BASAL GANGLIA
Compulsive
Difficulty linking natural consequences with
choices
Increased violence and aggression
Seek immediate gratification
Loss of natural empathy and sympathy for
others
Loss of willpower
Self-centered
Much more likely to engage in addictive
behaviors

10. More detail about chemical compounds
released in response to SEM:
•Amygdala is activated.
•The amygdala released a wave of
neurotransmitters (Arnsten, 2000;
2009). Neurotransmitters are how
brain cells or neurons communicate
with each other.

11. When the wave of
neurotransmitters reach the
prefrontal cortex it causes a
definite reduction in functioning.
The prefrontal cortex is very
sensitive to the level of
neurotransmitters. Too much or
too little inhibits functioning.

12. The wave of neurotransmitters affects the
basal ganglia differently than the
prefrontal cortex. It works more
efficiently. With the basal ganglia in
charge, the individual becomes more
compulsive and driven by immediate
gratification. They essentially become
more like animals driven by reward
stimulation.

13. REVIEW: When a minor is exposed to SEM the amygdala
is activated and releases a wave of neurotransmitters
(dopamine and norepinephrine). The wave causes the
prefrontal cortex to shut down and the basal ganglia to
work more efficiently. The individual becomes more
impulsive and driven by immediate gratification.

14. CORTISOL IS CONSIDERED
THE “STRESS HORMONE”
• The wave of neurotransmitters activates the
hypothalamus. The hypothalamus activates the
adrenal cortex, which secretes cortisol.
• Cortisol can directly reduce the functioning of the
prefrontal cortex by blocking transporters that
clear norepinephrine and dopamine, therefore
increasing the levels of neurotransmitters
(Grundaman et al., 1998).
• Brief exposure to cortisol during 10 days was
found to result in marked reduction of the
neuronal complexity in the prefrontal cortex,
causing less efficient information transmission
(Brown et al., 2005).

15. The prefrontal cortex is exquisitely
sensitive to the detrimental effects of
stress. In some cases, even mild
uncontrollable stressors may lead to
compromised cognitive abilities,
including deficits in working memory,
cognitive flexibility, and emotional control
(Arnsten, 2009).

16. STRESS
The amygdala and basal ganglia are affected
oppositely of the prefrontal cortex in response to
stress.
“Chronic stress appears to expand the intricate
web of connections among neurons in our lower
emotional centers, whereas the areas engaged in
flexible, sustained reasoning begin to shrivel”
(Arnsten, 2012, pg. 51).

17. The hippocampus has abundant
glucocorticoid receptors and is very
sensitive to the stress hormone cortisol
(McEwen, 2001; 2004).
*Remember that the hippocampus has to do with remembering
facts and events.
• Cortisol and stress suppress neurogenesis and
cause neurons to retract (McEwen, 2001; Radley,
2005).
• Chronic stress can cause permanent damage to
the hippocampus (McEwen, 2001).
• Animal models have shown that periodic stress
responses over a period of three weeks were
sufficient to cause neural retraction (Brown et al.,
2005).

18. The hypothalamus also activates the
testes to secrete testosterone. “SEM,
crafts a brain that is constantly
generating testosterone and
heightens sexual desire” (Struthers,
2009, pg. 100).
Instead of allowing boys to focus on
school, sports, and music, SEM
causes a ramped up sex-drive where
their minds are inundated with sexual
thoughts.

19. Elevated testosterone is also linked to
increased aggressiveness and violence
(Nelson et al., 2005).
• A study of 4,462 men linked high testosterone
levels with delinquency, substance abuse and a
tendency toward excessive aggressive behavior
(Dabbs, 1990).
• Another study found that delinquent college
students had raised levels of testosterone when
compared with similar counterparts (Dabbs,
1996).

20. NEURONS
The brain is made up of
neurons, which are brain
cells.
Neurons use
neurotransmitters for
communication between
them.
Neurons have a cell
body and dendrites that
protrude out of the cell
body.
Dendrites can be thought
of as information
grabbers. They “grab”
information from the
adjacent neuron.
The axon branches into
synaptic terminals.
The cell body also has
an axon that protrudes
from it.

21. NEURONAL PLASTICITY
• In recent years there has been a paradigm shift
among the neuroscience community. The brain was
once considered to be inflexible. Science has now
confirmed that the brain is actually very adaptable.
The brain stem that controls breathing and heart
rate is rigid.
• Obviously, constant changes there would be
detrimental to good health.
What area of the brain is most susceptible to
change?
…PREFRONTAL CORTEX

22. In humans the development of the
prefrontal cortex lags behind the
development of the limbic system and
basal ganglia. This is generally why
teenagers are more emotional and
impulsive. The prefrontal cortex is more
vulnerable to adaptation because
maturation takes longer.

23. THE BRAIN IS
VERY ADAPTABLE
TO STIMULI IT
RECEIVES
NEURONS CAN UNDERGO
DENDRITIC PRUNING OR BUDDING.

24. BUDDING & PRUNING
• Budding refers to an increase in the number of dendrites
on a neuron. The neuron is now able to “grab” more
information, which allows for more efficient information
transmission.
• Pruning is the opposite of budding. Pruning results in
less dendrites on a neuron and a decreased ability to
transmit information.
• A neuron’s anatomy can actually change based on the
level of activation (Vigil et al., 2011). Repeated activation
of a specific collection of neurons will actually strengthen
the connection among those neurons, which will make
them function more efficiently (Steinberg, 2011).

25. Budding &
Pruning

26. SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL
CAUSES PRUNING IN
PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND
BUDDING IN BASAL GANGLIA

27. DENDRITES
“Dendrites in the prefrontal cortex begin to
change after only one week of stress or
possibly even a single exposure. Chronic
stress during brain development or childhood
may have a particularly large effect on
prefrontal cortex structure and function in
adulthood.”

28. Consider an athlete
who only did
exercises to build up
his biceps. His arms
would soon be out of
proportion.
We do not want our
youth continually
doing basal ganglia
exercises and have a
prefrontal cortex that
is neglected.

29. DOPAMINE
• Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter found in the
reward area of the brain, the nucleus accumbens,
and is located in the basal ganglia (Jones, 2010).
Dopamine can cause pleasure all the way up to
euphoria. It has the unique ability to cause craving.
• When a young man is exposed to SEM, his normal
physiological response will evoke pleasure and the
desire for more. The seeds of desire are planted
and there is often a desire to seek out more
stimulating material.

30. DOPAMINE
• Responsible for feeling of pleasure all the way
up to euphoria
• Released from viewing sexually stimulating
images and illegal drugs
• Has unique ability to cause craving
• Exploitation of dopamine system actually
causes reduced baseline levels of dopamine.
Diminished dopamine is directly linked to
impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention.

31. DOPAMINE BURNOUT
• An interesting phenomenon has been
discovered. Although initial exposure to
SEM causes an increase in extracellular
dopamine levels, chronic over stimulation
actually leads to a decreased extracellular
level of dopamine (Hou, 2011). This is
referred to as the dopamine depletion
hypothesis.

32. DOPAMINE DISRUPTION
IS LINKED TO ADHD
Dopamine is critical to proper functioning
of the brain. The development of the
dopamine system is very sensitive and
excessive activation can lead to long-term
functional changes (Beauchaine, 2011).
Disruption of the dopamine
system is directly linked to
a variety of neurological
conditions including ADHD
(Fox, 2012; Wu, 2012).

33. A person who has disrupted their dopamine
system due to overstimulation is trying to get
“straight” rather than get “high.” Low dopamine
activity is unpleasant, causing a chronically
depressed or anxious mood (Beauchaine,
2011). Individuals who have disrupted their
dopamine system are desperate to obtain
more of the stimulant that will help them just
feel normal again. This is why any kind of
addiction will make a person irrational and
desperate to receive a momentary dopamine
boost.

34. Dopamine is directly tied to mental cognition, and
reduced levels have been found to impair cognitive
flexibility (Garcia & Garcia, 2010).
The prefrontal cortex is very sensitive to the levels of
neurotransmitters.
The prefrontal cortex uses dopamine and if dopamine
burnout has occurred, the prefrontal cortex will not
have the appropriate levels of dopamine required for
optimal functioning. This can result in symptoms that
include difficulty concentrating and impaired
behavioral inhibition.

35. One study found that
when dopamine
transmission was
brought back to
normal levels,
neurophychological
tests did not
improve to the same
extent.

36. The reason illegal drugs are so addicting for some
people is because they also manipulate the dopamine
reward system. It is not the drug itself people desire, it
is the release of dopamine that causes a person to
become “high.”
Another interesting study about dopamine dealt with
video games. This study demonstrated that the level
of dopamine released in the basal ganglia while
playing a video game was similar to an intravenous
injection of the illegal drugs amphetamine or
methylphenidate as recorded by positron emission
topography (Koepp, 1998).
This certainly makes the point that natural rewards can

37. REVIEW
• Dopamine causes pleasure all the way up to
euphoria. Dopamine is the impetus of any
kind of addiction. Dopamine burnout occurs
when levels of dopamine decrease because
of overstimulation.

38. REASONS WHY ADOLESCENTS
HAVE AN INCREASED RISK
FROM THE EFFECTS OF
SEXUAL CUES
• When something is developing it is much
more susceptible to manipulation for good
or bad.
• Next to infancy the most organization brain
development occurs during adolescence
(Vigil et al., 2011).
• “Profound neuronal rewiring takes place
during adolescence (Sisk & Zehr, 2005,
pg.170).”

39. Adolescents have
reduced inhibitory effect
from the prefrontal cortex,
because that area of the
brain does not fully form
until the twenties.
The amygdala is over
reactive in adolescents
(Nelson et al., 2005).

40. • Stress pathways are heightened during adolescence
(Walker et al., 2004). Adolescence is characterized by
a prolonged activation in response to stressors as
compared to adulthood, which may render ongoing
development of the brain vulnerable (McCormick &
Matthews, 2007).
• A teenage boy has an increased release of cortisol, as
compared to his dad, when viewing the same sexually
explicit image. Cortisol impairs functioning of the
prefrontal cortex and chronic stress causes dendritic
retraction in the prefrontal cortex.

41. BOTH CORTISOL AND
TESTOSTERONE ARE STEROID
HORMONES. STEROID
HORMONES ARE DIRECTLY
INVOLVED IN ADOLESCENT
BRAIN ORGANIZATION.

42. • Steroid hormones play a critical role in brain development.
Steroid hormones are testosterone and cortisol. “Glucocorticoids
(cortisol) are hormones that influence ongoing brain development
and program future behavioral and psychological
responses” (McCormick and Mathews, 2007 pg. 228).
• An experiment was conducted in which adolescent rats were
exposed to stressors. These rats were given cognitive tests as
adults. The rats that were stressed all tested inferior to controls,
and those exposed earlier in adolescence showed a greater
decline in cognitive abilities (McCormick and Mathews, 2007)
This again highlights the fact that adolescence is a critical and
vulnerable time of brain development and that an overabundance
of steroid hormones is going to favor the more emotional centers
of the brain.

43. Testosterone literally organizes neural circuits
during adolescence that will stay with them
throughout adulthood (Somerville & Jones,
2010). The effect of testosterone on the maturing
brain predicts agnostic behaviors as an adult
(Schulz & Sisk). Agnostic means aggressive,
defensive, or combative. Higher than average
levels of testosterone correspond to an
increased volume in the amygdala
(Cunningham et al., 2007; NuFeng et al., 2009).

44. Adolescence can be
understood as a unique
opportunity in which the
changes taking place in
the brain affect the
individual throughout
his or her entire adult
life.

45. REVIEW
• The steroid hormones, cortisol and
testosterone, play a very important role in
brain organization that is unique to
adolescence. During adolescence these
hormones help organize neuron circuits that
will be part of the brain through adulthood.

46. In adolescence, an unusually
large amount of synaptic
pruning takes place. “The most
frequently used connections
are strengthened and
preserved, while synapses that
have shown scarce activation
degenerate” (Vigil et al., 2011,
pg.334).
If the amygdala is strengthened
from continuous activation by
SEM there are direct
consequences that can include
increased aggressiveness,
promiscuity, and risk taking.

47. “
”
LARGE AREAS OF
UNCOMMITTED BRAIN TISSUE
CAN BE MOLDED…… TO THE
DEMANDS OF A PARTICULAR
ENVIRONMENT
(Healy, 1991, pg. C5).
We do not want the amygdala-basal ganglia connections
strengthened at the expense of the prefrontal cortex. The
inundation of SEM in our society favors the connections
between the basal ganglia and amygdala.

48. There is normal
synaptic pruning that
takes place during
adolescence. Think of a sculptor that
begins with a block of
marble and removes
material to make his
finished masterpiece.

49. ADOLESCENT DOPAMINE
SYSTEM IS IN A STATE OF
OVERDRIVE
• Particularly in early adolescence the dopamine
system is augmented compared to adults and
children. Research has found that adolescent
nucleus accumbens (or the pleasure center of
the brain) is more active than an adult’s (Ernst
et al., 2005).
• When a teenager is exposed to a sexually
explicit image, more dopamine is going to be
released than an adult. This makes a teenager
more vulnerable to addictions than children or
adults.

50. “There is accumulating
evidence that repeated
exposure to stressful
situations-particularly when
these are unpredictable,
uncontrollable and/or taking
place at vulnerable periods
in life can introduce an
added risk for
psychopathology” (Joels,
2011, pg. 407).

51. An imbalance between the prefrontal
cortex and the amygdala is the basis for
emotional and mood disorders, which
include:
•ADHD
•Anxiety
•Depression

52. Hormones are the
engineers of the brain.
Manipulation of hormones
critical to brain development
WILL cause a different brain
to form.
Even slight changes in optimal
brain development can have
tremendous long-term
consequences for individuals.

53. IS THIS KIND OF BRAIN
DAMAGE REVERSIBLE?
• “If not too far advanced, brain damage and loss
of brain cells can be stopped and genetically
rehabilitated. Prolonged negative stimulation
may produce permanent results that can even be
transferred to those yet unborn” (Belnap, 2008,
pg. 8).
• Changes that develop due to the environment
have been found to be intergenerational
(Rossiter, 1996; Francis et al., 1999).