Women's Sex Drive Explained by Brain Activity?

Is the brain wired for sex?

A new study by the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology of Wayne State University in Detroit finds that women who have a low sex drive have different patterns of brain activity from those whose sex drive is considered normal.

So what does that mean for many couples?

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton explained that, with women, many factors are involved in sex drive.

"This was a very small observational study (of 26 women), but (it) had very interesting findings," she said. "They compared two groups of women: women with normal sexual function and women with low libido. (Researchers) showed both groups stimulating images, then compared their brain activity with a functional MRI, and found that the groups had very different areas and levels of the brain activated. So again, very different between those two groups."

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But what causes low sex drive?

Among men, Ashton said, it's usually just a physical process problem. With women, on the other hand, the process is much more complicated, ranging from hormonal changes to depression and stress and anxiety and medications.

Ashton said, ironically, anti-depressants can lower libido among women.

So what can women do to improve their libido?

Ashton said a female version of Viagra is being aggressively pursued by pharmaceutical companies.

"That really doesn't exist yet, so, (as for) things that can help women with a variety of sexual issues, first of all, just being in a good state of health. Exercising, being physically active outside the bedroom - believe it or not - is going to help you in the bedroom. There are some medications, though they're not in widespread use yet, they can be effective for women, even some herbal therapies. And lastly, and probably underutilized by so many women, a sex therapist. Women still feel that taboo of not wanting to discuss this - (it) can be very helpful."

[nfission]

What about brain activity? Nothing was mentioned. How about the role of intelligence, some of us have better things to think about other than sex. This whole country is over sexed and the drug companies are constantly coming up with new drugs to beef-up sex. I prefer to spend my time being creative, which involves thinking, reading and writing.

[gjc1n1]

Replying to tmittelstaed: Sexist? Nothing could be further from the truth. My husband's point was that no woman owes a man sex because he took her out on a date and perhaps spent some money. No one, male or female, needs to stay on that date if the date is obnoxious in any way. You're probably right about jumping in the sack. Both men AND women do it frequently and without any forethought. That I think is the crux of the problem. We've given up being caring, loving human beings to act like dogs in heat.

[wopper-flopper]

Hey "gjc1n1,"
who CARES? You American females are BREEDING YOURSELVES **OUT** OF EXISTENCE because so FEW males are born anymore. Stop having sex--soon, you'll be OVER-RUN by un-qualified men with LITTLE education (and hence, a not-so-great gene pool) to choose from.

GOOD LUCK. You'll NEED IT.

[mecanik-2009]

I knew that was the problem. My wife doesn't have any brain activity!!!

[erasmus111]

You are well suited to each other then.: )

[quantitativegirl]

Am I missing something? Dr. Ashton never elaborated on the results of the study. She just said there was "different" brain activity between the normal vs. low libido groups. So what. That doesn't mean anything. Everyone is commenting as if this article/video actually revealed something. I wish the actual research article were referenced.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

35 years of having sex with the same woman has given me ample time to observe both, the sex drive and brain activity.

First the Brain Activity, I know they were talking about something observable only with a MRI so please don't write and tell me I missed the point.

If her mind is not in it she is not going to desire sex. If she has sex with you and her mind is not in it she is not going to have an orgasm. If you forget that conversation is foreplay she won't be having sex with you very often.

Sex for me in my relationship has been wonderful for all this time. Without great sex I would not have stayed in the relationship. Sex for my wife has been both great and non-essential. So, both people in a relationship rarely experience the same things simultaneously.

I married my best friend and that has never changed in all this time. I love her more today than when we first got together. We both adore and love one another and that is always true. There have been lots of times when we didn't like each other very much though. If you are young you need to learn the difference.

When my wife and I are pretty much on an even keel I have learned that the ratio is about 8 to one. I get about 8 orgasms and then she is interested and wants one too. She loves to have sex but in 35 years she has probably instigated sex between 50-100 times. This changes over the year a little like the seasons. Her lack of libido didn't seem to be the deciding factor about weather we have sex or not. It seems like the deciding factor for us over time was a recognition of the fact that we both needed physical intimacy in order to keep the rest of our relationship going.

We have struggled just like you might imagine that two people might but as a couple we were always headed in the same direction. Do what it takes to make our relationship work.

I don't think they can find out about that with a MRI.

[tmittelstaed]

"...We both adore and love one another and that is always true. There have been lots of times when we didn't like each other very much though..."

I loved that line.

A few years ago some research speculated that the "female low libido gene" is something that has been carried down for the last couple million years going all the way back to the chimpanzees. In fact, chimp studies have shown that rape occurs in chimps and more frequently than you would think. The speculation has been that the reason the "low libido" gene has survived through the ages is because rape has been so common in human history, chimp researchers have speculated that rape may have been an evolutionary advantage in humans as it keeps the gene pool mixed up. Most other species do not have it. The researchers have speculated that something like 40% of woman today have this gene.

The gene does NOT cause a dislike of sex or utter lack of sex drive, nor does it cause an adversion to having sex. It simply makes the woman who carry it not that interested in initiating it. It has been though to have evolutionary advantages in the presense of intelligence as it allows the woman to be more discriminating and select a mate that is more likely to survive. But don't get too excited as promiscuity is also considered an evolutionary advantage.

The research in this article adds to the credibility that a low libido is genetic.

But there is something that I do think that there is a lot of confusion over. It is one thing for a woman to have low libido. That generally isn't a problem in a relationship as you have found. But it is quite another for a woman who has a low libido that is interfereing with her relationship. A low libido shouldn't be cause for intereference as the woman can still have sex without being interested, and wives that have sex while they aren't interested are simply doing something in the relationship that makes their spouse happy that doesen't matter either way to them. Husbands who compliment wives on their new hair style or new shoes are doing exactly the same thing, because no hetrosexual man gives a tinkers damn about new shoes or a new hairstyle.

But women who have an otherwise satisfying relationship with their husbands, who normally find sex repelling with their husbands when they are "not in the mood" and are not often in the mood, well they may have low libido, but they also have a serious psychological problem too and need help. The "low libido gene" speculation, bolstered by this research, is NOT something that is going to help them. These woman cannot be helped by increasing the frequency that they are "in the mood" through drugs or other artifical means. They need a shrink to unravel the guilt or whatever it is that causes them to be repelled by sex with their husbands when they are not in the mood, and when their relationship is otherwise satisfying.

I do think that it is very sad that people like you, who should know better, make comments like "...If you forget that conversation is foreplay she won't be having sex with you very often...." because there are millions of couples out there where they ARE having PLENTY of conversation all the time but the wife is STILL not having sex as much as the husband wants, because subconsciously she feels that sex is "something that dirty girls do" and won't do it unless she is so ***** that she can't sleep.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

tmittelstaed - I didn't mean to indicate that low libido was not a real and serious problem for some women. I was trying to point out to the men that sometimes the problem is ?their problem? not their wives. I also wanted the women to know that it takes time and understanding to work out the differences between the sexes and have a satisfying sex life.


I appreciate the additional evolutionary and genetic information. I did know that the article's main point was about a serious problem, that many women suffer, that has many different causes. The solutions are elusive, but a good start might be changing our society?s view of sex to a more realistic, experiential view.

[endrepubs]

I am convinced that men's orgasms are much more powerful and "intoxicating' than women's orgasms. Why else do men seem to have sex on their mind all the time. The male ejaculation must feel better than the female orgasm because a lot of women have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward sex and simply wait until their mates initiate sex. The sexual act for many women is not about the orgasm but about the closeness sex brings. For obvious evolutionary reasons the male ejaculation is necessary to keep the species going while the female orgasm is not.

[tmittelstaed]

"...I am convinced that men's orgasms are much more powerful and "intoxicating' than women's orgasms...."

I am convinced this is rubbish. The difference between man and woman in the orgasm department is that men cannot have sex unless they orgasm, but woman CAN have sex without orgasm. But orgasm is individualistic and there's plenty woman who have a lot stronger orgasms than plenty of men.

[rwsmith29456]

Women have higher brain activity than men during sex. They think more about things like whether they left the stove on or what they are going to wear tomorrow.

[cktirumalai]

I think sex is a complex matter, which involves the entire personality of two individuals. When seen merely as a localized physical phenomenon, it may be superficial or unsatisfying.
Candadai Tirumalai

[gjc1n1]

Replying to: amerilatino. When I was dating my husband he told me (and years later to our daughter) that the only thing that a woman owes a man when dating is the pleasure of her company. He was and is a real classy act. I would think that a man or woman should be able to figure out before cohabitation (legal or otherwise) if their sexual libidos matched. All it takes is time in the dating mode and a few well-honed conversations. It seems to me that too many people are willing to jump in the sack before they take the time and effort to get to know someone.

[tmittelstaed]

I tell my daughter that the only thing a man owes her on a date is the pleasure of HIS company.

To be perfectly honest about it, your husband's statement is sexist. A woman does not owe a man on a date anything - even the pleasure of her company - if her date starts acting like a jerk then why should she hang around? Nor does a man owe a woman anything on a date either - such as paying for dinner, event, etc.

In my observation, though, quite a lot of woman are just as ready to hop in the sack as the men are. They just show it differently.

[NinthSt78]

They just think differently than guys. Guys want the dependable one that runs well, and girls want the pretty one that conks out all the time. Girls like expensive shoes, and most guys like the cheaper ones.