A comparative study of brain activation patterns associated with sexual arousal between males and females using 3.0-T functional magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Background In contrast to the previous studies using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging system, our study was performed on a higher magnetic field strength, 3.0 T, to gain more valuable information on the functional brain anatomy associated with visual sexual arousal for discriminating the gender difference by increasing the detection power of brain activation. Methods: Twenty-four healthy subjects consisting of 12 males and 12 females underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging examination for this study. Brain activity was measured while viewing erotic videos. Results: The predominant activation areas observed in males as compared with females included the hypothalamus, the globus pallidus, the head of the caudate nucleus, the parahippocampal gyrus, the amygdala and the septal area, whereas the predominant activation in females was observed in the anterior cingulate gyrus and the putamen. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the brain activation patterns associated with visual sexual arousal are specific to gender. This gender difference in brain activation patterns is more remarkable at higher magnet field (3.0 T) than at 1.5 T. © CSIRO 2014.