Reward Dysregulation in Sexual Function

Sexual responses are some of the strongest primary rewards used in research and, arguably, in nature. Sexual response often is considered only in isolation as a reflection of good general health or relevant solely for reproduction. Yet, altered responsiveness to sexual rewards is evident in a number of affective disorders not limited to sexual difficulties. Sexual stimulation has been neglected for its potential to treat a range of general physical and mental health problems. Relative to other emotion sciences, sexual psychophysiology is underdeveloped. The chapter reviews how sexual responses are affected in general emotional disorders, then attempts to distinguish these, often unsuccessfully, from related sexual difficulties.

Examining the Validity and Utility of Two New Measurement Devices in Sexual Psychophysiology Research

Background: Female genital arousal is an important, yet difficult phenomenon to measure. The Laser Doppler Imager (LDI) and the Litmus Test Strip (LTS) are new measurement devices for assessing vulvar blood flow and vaginal lubrication, respectively. Given their recent development, few studies have used these measures, and further testing of their validity is needed. Using both devices concurrently provides an opportunity to demonstrate convergent validity (i.e., a significant, positive correlation) between these measures. Investigation of the utility of these devices—such as their sensitivity to varying intensity of sexual arousal—is also needed. Measures that can detect intensity of genital arousal allow researchers to study more complex questions than measures that only indicate the presence or absence of it. Method: Sexual arousal will be induced using erotic videos depicting foreplay and penile-vaginal intercourse. Vulvar blood flow and vaginal lubrication will be assessed using the LDI and the LTS. Participants will self-report their experience of sexual arousal. Hypotheses: I predict that: 1. Changes in vulvar blood flow (as measured by LDI) and vaginal lubrication (as measured by LTS) will be positively correlated with self-reported sexual arousal; 2. Changes in vulvar blood flow and vaginal lubrication will be positively correlated with each other; 3. Vulvar blood flow and vaginal lubrication will vary according to intensity of sexual response. Results: Data collection in progress. Results will be available at the time of the presentation. Implications: Further development of two new measurement devices for sexual psychophysiology research.