Men and women differ in amygdala response to visual sexual stimuli

@article{Hamann2004MenAW,
  title={Men and women differ in amygdala response to visual sexual stimuli},
  author={Stephan Hamann and Rebecca A. Herman and Carla L Nolan and Kim Wallen},
  journal={Nature Neuroscience},
  year={2004},
  volume={7},
  pages={411-416}
}
Men are generally more interested in and responsive to visual sexually arousing stimuli than are women. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to show that the amygdala and hypothalamus are more strongly activated in men than in women when viewing identical sexual stimuli. This was true even when women reported greater arousal. Sex differences were specific to the sexual nature of the stimuli, were restricted primarily to limbic regions, and were larger in the left amygdala… 
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546 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
27
Background Citations
167
Methods Citations
11
Results Citations
37

546 Citations

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  • Psychology, Biology
    The Neuroscientist : a review journal bringing neurobiology, neurology and psychiatry
  • 2005
TLDR
Current findings from studies of sex differences in human amygdala response during emotion-related activities, such as formation of emotional memories and sexual behavior, are highlighted and how these findings contribute to the understanding of behavioral differences between men and women are considered.
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The relationship between sexual responsivity, sensation seeking, and sexual behavior is gender specific, and the nature of stimuli used to induce positive mood in imaging and other studies should be carefully considered.
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A thorough statistical review of significant neuroimaging studies offers strong quantitative evidence that the neuronal response to visual sexual stimuli, contrary to the widely accepted view, is independent of biological sex.
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