The neuroscience of desire, pleasure, love

THE NEUROSCIENCE OF DESIRE,
PLEASURE, LOVE AND ORGASM
DOÇ. DR. ÜMİT SAYIN
www.humitsayin.com www.ciseated.org www.cinselegitim.org www.sexusjournal.com
www.twincongress2015.com
humitsayin@gmail.com tantraakademi@gmail.com

Pleasure is a mental and emotional state that
humans and other animals experience as
positive, enjoyable, satisfying, giving joy and
happiness or worth seeking.
It may include other mind states such as
happiness, entertainment, enjoyment,
ecstasy, and euphoria, with peak experiences.
Some of the former schools of psychology and
psychiatry described the concept of pleasure
as the “pleasure principle”, which was
regarded as innate and instinctive, inevitable.
PLEASURE
Pleasure has neuroanatomical and
neuropharmacological basis and
components, as well as brain circuitries.
Figures, graphics, plots; made by Dr. Ü. SAYIN

Pleasure is a component of reward, but some
rewards are not that pleasurable.
Stimuli that are naturally pleasurable, and
therefore attractive, are known as intrinsic
rewards (for instance sexual drives, the
imagining of a nude and beautiful woman for
a man), an instinctive and innate stimulus
Stimuli that are attractive and motivate
approach behavior, but which hasn’t passed
through the genetic codes (and not inherited,
not innate), are coined as extrinsic rewards
(for instance sexy objects)
The reward system contains specific brain
pleasure centers or “hedonic hotspots” that
mediate pleasure or "liking mood” from
intrinsic rewards!
PLEASURE

Hedonic hotspots (pleasure centers) that
have been identified are:
lateral thalamus
Ventral tegmental area
nucleus accumbens (NA)
ventral pallidum
parabrachial nucleus
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
cingulate cortex
insular cortex
Prefrontal cortex
Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) can also be
counted as a hot spot because it contains
many dopaminergic neurons that project into
Nucleus Accumbens.
The posterior ventral pallidum contains a
hedonic hotspot, while the anterior ventral
pallidum contains a “hedonic cold spot” which
induces a negative emotion, such as fear and
disgust, when stimulated.
PLEASURE

It was shown that, when there is pleasure the
following areas of the brain may become
activated
thalamus and/or lateral hypothalamus
nucleus accumbens (NA)
ventral tegmental area (VTA)
ventral pallidum
insula
cingulate cortex
prefrontal cortex
orbitofrontal cortex
septum
Accessory:
hippocampus
amygdala
PLEASURE

DOPAMINE
PLEASURE
Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter
that induces pleasure.
5000 Dopaminergic neurons in VTA
radiate into Nucleus Accumbens and
Prefrontal cortex, carrying pleasure
signals.
Dopamine neurotransmitter takes part
in:
• Pleasure
• Motivation
• Orgasm
• Motor coordination
• Learning and Memory
• Synaptic Plasticity
• Insticts and Drive
• Emotions

Receptor Locations Functions
D1
Excitatory
↑↑ cAMP
Found in high concentration in mesolimbic,
nigrostriatal and mesocortical areas , such as
substantia nigra, olfactory bulb, nucleus
accumbens, caudate, putamen, striatum.
Expressed in low level in cerebellum, hippocampus,
thalamus, hypothalamus, kidney
Voluntary movements, regulate growth and development,
regulations of feeding, affect, attentions, reward, pleasure,
sexual activity, orgasm, sleep, impulse control, emotions,
instincts, reproductive behaviors, working memory, learning,
control of rennin in kidney
D2
Inhibitory
↓↓ cAMP
Expressed in high levels in as substantia nigra,
olfactory bulb, caudate, putamen, ventral
tegmental area(VTA), nucleus accumbens Found in
low level in hypothalamus, septum, kidney, cortex,
heart, blood vessels, adrenal glands,
gastrointestinal tract, sympathetic ganglia
Involved in working memory, reward-motivation functions
regulate blood pressure, renal functions, gastrointestinal
motility, vasodilatations, regulate locomotion-presynaptic
receptors inhibit locomotion and post synaptic receptors
activate locomotion
D3
Inhibitory
↓↓ cAMP
D3 Expressed only in CNS and it is not found
outside the CNS. Found in olfactory bulb, nucleus
accumbens
Involved in endocrine function cognitions, emotions,
regulations of locomotor functions and modulates endocrine
functions
D4
Inhibitory
↓↓ cAMP
Substantia nigra, hippocampus, amygdala,
thalamus, hypothalamus, kidney, frontal cortex,
heart, blood vessels, adrenal glands,
gastrointestinal tract, sympathetic ganglia, globus
pallidum, Lowest receptor found in CNS than all
dopamine receptors
Regulations of renal functions, gastrointestinal motility,
vasodilatations, blood pressure, modulations of cognitive
functions
D5
Excitatory
↑↑ cAMP
Substantia nigra, hypothalamus, hippocampus,
dental gyrus, kidney, heart, blood vessels, adrenal
glands, gastrointestinal tract, sympathetic ganglia
Involved in pain process, affective functions, emotions,
endocrine functions of dopamine
Table-2 : The summary of the locations and functions of dopamine receptors.

People unconsciously try to increase their
dopamine levels in the brain by means of,
eating excessive food or chocolate; by
running; by gambling; by listening to music;
by using drugs which increase dopamine, such
as amphetamines, cocaine, cannabis etc.; by
excessive sex and sexual pleasure etc.
One of the main purposes of life actually is
getting high on dopamine.
Psychotic patients who are treated with
dopamine receptor blocking medication (e.g.
haloperidol, fluphenazine etc.) complain
about anhedonia. Blockade of dopamine
receptors, decrease or abolish pleasure.
All mind states, mood states are a result of
the balance of brain neurochemistry and
getting high on dopamine is the pleasure
principle of life!
PLEASURE
Getting High on Dopamine

Even sexual activity may become a method of
getting high on dopamine.
For women, oxytocin and dopamine rush for a
healthy life may become very important,
Because orgasm induces, euphoria, sedation,
satisfaction, joy, self-fulfillment
While it subsides and decreases pain, anxiety,
and depression.
PLEASURE
During female orgasm, large amounts of
dopamine and oxytocin are released.
Dopamine and Oxytocin work parallel to each
other.
In sexuality serotonin (5-HT) works on the
opposite way by decreasing libido, pleasure
and suppressing orgasm. Oxytocin-9 amino acids

PLEASURE

Dopamine’s effect on D1-like or D2-
like receptors.
By the activation of G-proteins a
cascade of reactions starts.
Dopamine is an excitatory
neurotransmitter at D-1 and D-5
dopamine receptors;
However, dopamine is an inhibitory
neurotransmitter at D-2, D-3, D4
dopaminergic receptors
PLEASURE

Homo sapiens is a pleasure seeking higher
primate. Hedonism is the ultimate goal.
He /she escapes from dysphoria, stress,
anxiety and depression and choses the
behaviors that lead him/her to euphoria,
anxiolysis, relieving his / her depression.
For instance, drug usage, alcohol addiction,
over eating etc. are the clinical signs of the
attempts to relieve stress, anxiety and
depression and attain mild sedation, elevated
mood, contentment, and even euphoria.
PLEASURE
Caricature, Figures, graphics, plots; made by Dr. Ü. SAYIN

When it comes to sexual pleasure, particularly
for women, orgasmic experience gives anti-
depressant, anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic
effects mostly because of the “rush” of the
following neurochemicals:
Dopamine
Oxytocin
Prolactin
Epinephrine & norepinephrine
Endorphins
PLEASURE
Oxytocin is a healing hormone; it increases
the immune response; it repairs heart cells; it
heals wounds and inflamation; it heals the
whole body against infections; it prevents
cancer formation.
ORGASM HEALS
FEMALE ORGASM ALSO DOES ALL OF ABOVE:
THEREFORE FEMALE ORGASM IS VERY HEALING!

OXYTOCIN
PLEASURE
Oxytocin is the LOVE hormone and it has
many functions:
• Pleasure
• Contraction of Uterus
• Orgasm
• Love-Falling in Love
• Motherhood
• Social Bonding
• Bonding to the partner
• Sexual Arousal
• Fantasy
• Triggering the orgasm reflex alone in
women
• Triggering the ejaculation reflex alone
in men
• Empathy feeling
• ESR and NEO Figures, graphics, plots; made by Dr. Ü. SAYIN

COMPARISON OF STRESS HORMONE CORTISOL AND OXYTOCIN
FEAR-STRESS-ANXIETY :
CORTİZOL
LOVE-EMPATHY-ORGASM:
OXYTOCIN
Feeling uneasy, aggressiveness, anxiety Peacefullness- Anti Stress
Feeling bad, Excitation, Stress Serenity, Peacefulness, Motivation, The interest
to the outer world
Aggrevates Addictions Decreases Addictions
Suppresses Libido, Sexual Pleasure, Blocks orgasm;
induces sexual function disorders
Increases Libido, sexual pleasure and the
intenstiy of orgasm, treats sexual function
disorders
Blocks ORGASM and Orgasmic pleasure Activates and triggers ORGASM; enhances
orgasm
Toxic to brain cells, may induce amnesia Increases the activity of brain cells, enhances
learning and memory
May induce the weakening of tissues, muscles and
bones
Enhances healing. Strengthens tissues, muscles
and bones
Weakens the immune system, delays the wound
healing
Activates and stimulates the immune system;
increases wound healing and protects from
infections.
Increases PAIN and dysphoria Induces Euphoria, Analgesic, Decreases pain
Increases blood pressure Kan basıncını düşürür, kalp hastalıklarına karşı
koruyucu etkisi olduğu sanılıyor
Released during love in tiny amounts, induces
restlessness
Released during LOVE in huge amounts. Induces
happiness, motivation, pleasure and
contentness, empathy

Stres Hormonu Kortizol ile Mutluluk ve
Aşk Hormonu Oksitosinin Karşılaştırması
KORKU-STRES-ANKSİYETE :
KORTİZOL
AŞK-SEVGİ-EMPATİ-ORGAZM:
OKSİTOSİN
Saldırganlık, huzursuzluk Anti-stres hormonu, barış huzur hali
Uyarılma, anksiyete, kötü hissetme, stres Sakin ve huzurlu hissetme, Merakın ve dış dünyaya
ilginin artması
Bağımlılıkları aktive eder, artırır,
kötüleştirir
Aşırı arzulamayı, bağımlılıkları azaltır
Libidoyu, cinsel hazzı baskılar, aşkta az miktarda kanda
artar
Libidoyu, alınan cinsel hazzı arttırır; aşkta kanda ve
beyinde çok artar
Orgazmı, cinsel hazları bloke eder Orgazmı aktive eder, güçlendirir
Beyin hücrelerine toksik olabilir,
unutkanlık yapar
Beyin hücrelerinin aktivitesini arttırır; öğrenmeyi arttırır,
hafızayı güçlendirir
Kasların, bağ dokusunun, kemiklerin zayıflamasına yol
açabilir
Kasların, kemiklerin, bağ dokusunun iyileşmesini
hızlandırır, güçlendirir
İmmün sistemi (Bağışıklık sistemini) zayıflatır, yara
iyileşmesini geciktirir
Yara iyileşmesini hızlandırır, bağışıklık sistemini aktive
edebilir
Ağrıyı ve disforiyi arttırır Ağrı duygusunu azaltır, öfori yaratır, oksitosin çok güçlü
bir analjeziktir, ağrıyı kaldırır
Yüksek tansiyona neden olur, kalp
hastalığı riskini artırır, damar tıkanıklığını kötüleştirebilir
Kan basıncını düşürür, kalp hastalıklarına karşı koruyucu
etkisi olduğu sanılıyor
Aşk sırasında salınması az miktarda olsa da aşk sırasındaki
huzursuzluk ve stres durumu yaratır
Aşk sırasında büyük miktarlarda hem kana, hem de
beyne salınır, mutluluk-uçma hali oluşturur
İnsan psikolojisini çok olumsuz değiştirir. Mutsuzluk hali oluşturur.
Alttaki bir depresyonu veya psikozu tetikleyebilir. Kötü illüzyonlar,
sanrılar ve aşırı disfori yapar. Paranoid reaksiyon gelişebilir.
İnsan psikolojisini çok olumlu değiştirir. Mutlu illüzyonlar veya
sanrılar oluşturur. Daha önce var olan depresyon, anksiyete veya
psikiyatrik bozukluklar birden ortadan kalkabilir

First Study Proving that Oxytocin is Increased During Orgasm in Males and Females-1987

3.5 times increase 3 times increase
Half-life of Oxytocin in the Blood is
Nearly 2 minutes
Half-life of Oxytocin in the Brain is Nearly
20 minutes

4.5 times increase
9 times increase
Half-life of Oxytocin in the Blood is
Nearly 2 minutes
Half-life of Oxytocin in
the Brain is Nearly
20 minutes

Single Orgasm
Blood Plasma Oxytocin
Five Orgasms
Blood Plasma Oxytocin
3.5 times increase 4.5 times increase
COMPARISON

Single Orgasm
Brain (CSF) Oxytocin
Five Orgasms
Brain (CSF) Oxytocin
3 times increase
9 times increase
COMPARISON

During the last several decades,
neuroscientists have attained very
important clues about the neuroanatomy
and neurochemistry of pleasure and
happiness, which have three components
(Berridge, 2009):
• Wanting and motivation
• Learning and associations &
predictions
• Liking and pleasure
PLEASURE

Incentive salience model for wanting, learning and liking. References: Freud, 1950, Berridge, 1991, 1998, 2003, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2015; Komisaruk, 2005, 2006, 2011; Wise, 2017; Jannini, 2018; Sayin, 2012, 2014, 2015-a,b, 2017-a, b, c, 2018-
a,c; Maslow, 1968; Taylor, 2000, 2002; Schultz, 2015.
PLEASURE

Incentive salience model for wanting, learning and liking, reassessed with the
alterations of neurotransmitters
PLEASURE

What Kind of Behavioral Changes Occur in Lovers In Response to
Neurotransmitter Changes?
• Love, in human beings, is a complex
behavioral, emotional and consciousness
state and a “peak experience”;
• It requires many higher cortical functions
in coordination with many alterations in
the limbic circuitry.
• Brain chemistry changes, for at least 6
months; in some cases these changes may
continue up to two years or more
The components emerging from the genetic
factors, subconscious, collective
unconsciousness, limbic system, learned
information and conditioning since childhood,
sexual preferences, fantasies, childhood
traumas, abstract thinking, social norms and
conditioning, social and religious dogmas,
biases, etc., contribute to the development of
love
LOVE

Neuro-Imaging Studies of Passionate Love, Sexual Desire and Arousal
The parieto-temporo-occipital region induces
the perception of integrity of the self with the
environment.
Activation of this region makes the person
differentiate self from the outer world and
space. During love this region is inactivated
(Zeki, 2007; Bartels & Zeki, 2000; Esch & Stefano, 2005)
Hence the individuals may perceive a
diminishing ego, or an ego-loss, which is
replaced by a perception of integration and
unification feeling (with the partner, with the
nature or universe).
LOVE

Neurotransmitter and behavioral changes in the brain during passionate love.
References: Bartels, 2000, 2004; Emaluele, 2006; Esch, 2005; Zeki, 2007, 2010; Marazziti, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2010; Fichetti, 2011;
Fisher, 2004, 2010; Kim, 2017; Meston, 2000; Tarlaci, 2017; Freud, 1950; Diamond, 2012; Ortigue, 2010
LOVE

Caudate nucleus and VTA are
the most consistent regions
associated with romantic
love
Romantic love is an intense
motivational state and
extraordinary experience
which also uses the reward-
pleasure circuitry and some
of the “hedonic hot spots”.
LOVE

Apart from love, during usual sexual
encounters, certain brain regions do appear to
be activated in response to sexual stimuli,
such as the (fMRI and PET studies)
• hypothalamus,
• putamen,
• visual cortical areas
• inferotemporal cortex,
• orbitofrontal cortex,
• anterior cingulate cortex (ACC),
• parietal cortex,
• temporo-parietal junction,
• insula,
• ventral striatum,
• anterior temporal areas,
• interior frontal
• cingulate areas,
• Amygdala
• basal ganglia
LOVE

Decrease of Serotonin
 Increased obsession and compulsion
 Increased aggression
 Mood instability, alterations of mood
 Contributes better and intense orgasm in women,
particularly.
 May induce premature ejaculation in men
Increase of Dopamine
 Decreases sadness and unhappy feelings
 Increases motivation
 Increases joy, happiness, delight
 Increases pleasure taken from the love itself
 Increases pleasure during making love
 Increases the intensity of orgasms particularly in women;
very powerful and multiple orgasms
 Abolishes anxiety and depression
 Increases attachment to the lover
 Addiction occurs
LOVE NEUROTRANSMITTER CHANGES DURING LOVE

Increase of Cortisol (stress hormone)
 Increases stress
 Increases fear to lose
 Increases jealousy
 Increases attention
 Increases susceptibility to painful stimuli
 Makes female psychology more fragile, being easily upset
and sentimental
 Increases attachment
Increase of Vasopressin
 Increases sexual arousal
 Increases sexual attraction
 Increases libido
 Decreases anxiety

Increase of Oxytocin
 Increases euphoria
 Increases motivation
 Increases confidence
 Attachment to the lover is increased
 Increases happiness. A very happy mood
 Increases pleasure taken from love making
 Induces more intense and powerful orgasms
 Increases empathy
 Increases being romantic and sentimental
 Decreases fear and anxiety
 Increases attachment to life

Increase of Norepinephrine
 Sympathetic Autonomous Nervous System is activated
 Increases excitation.
 Increases heart beats and palpitations
 Episodes of hypertension
 Increases alertness
 Increases pleasure
 Increases joyful mood and happiness
 May increase anxiety
 Decreases sleep

Neuroimaging Studies during Sexual Stimulation and Orgasm
Sexual Pleasure and ORGASM

By self-stimulation of clitoris, vagina and
cervix the overlapping regions of sensory
cortex and cortex region overlapping with the
innervation of pudental, pelvic and
hypogastric nerves, were activated
(Komisaruk, 2006; Jannini, 2018).
Nipple self-stimulation activated paracentral
lobule, interestingly which also overlaps with
the areas that are activated during genital-self
stimulation (Allen, 2016; Komisaruk, 2011,
2013).
In the brain, stimulation of nipples is also
perceived as genital stimulation, as well as it
induces oxytocin release. Stimulation of
breasts and sucking of nipples activates the
paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus and
pituitary, from where oxytocin is released.

Prior to orgasm, Komisaruk et al have found
that amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus
accumbens, hypothalamus, septum, anterior
cingulate, insula and VTA were activated with
also dorsal raphe (Komisaruk, 2011; Wise,
2017; Jannini, 2018).
Orgasm:
• At orgasm, nucleus accumbens (NA) and
VTA areas were both activated.
• These regions play great roles in
dopaminergic transmission, reward-
pleasure reaction and VTA projects into
NA, where dopamine release creates
cascades of reactions that may alter
learning, memory, synaptic plasticity and
behavior.
• Dopaminergic agonists can promote sexual
response, pleasure and orgasm;
• While dopaminergic antagonists attenuate
sexual response and orgasm (Komisaruk,
2006).

The anterior cingulate and insula are
activated at orgasms, but they can also be
activated by painful stimuli (Pukall, 2005;
Casey, 1994, 2001).
There is a possibility that pain and orgasm
may be using similar or the same
spinothalamic pathways, a neurophysiological
mechanism which can explain why some
women and men enjoy mild pain and
pleasure/orgasm together in BDSM sessions.
The putamen and caudate nucleus are both
associated with reward and motivational
states, desire, sexual arousal.
The relevance of the anterior cingulate cortex
(ACC-center of self-knowledge, subjective
feelings and perception of the self) for both
love and sexual desire is significant.

Regional Activation of Brain Regions (at fMRI) of Women in 10 seconds After the Start of Self-Induced Orgasm.
The pleasure hot spots of N. Accumbens, Amygdala, Hippocampus, Cingulate Cortex, Insula, Hypothalamic PVN area, and some other
structures of limbic system were activated with the start of orgasm. Published with the permission of Prof. Barry Komisaruk.
Reference: Jannini E.A, Wise N. Frangos E. and Komisaruk BR. Peripheral and Central Neural Bases of Orgasm. In Texbook of Sexual
Function and Dysfunction: Diagnosis and Treatment, First Edition, Edited by Sue W. Goldstein, Noel N. Kim, Anita H. Clayton. New
York: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2018. Chapter 13, pp:179-195; 2018.

The balance between neurotransmitters and how they influence
pleasure, libido, arousal and orgasm.

The neuroscience of desire, pleasure, love

The neuroscience of desire, pleasure, love

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