When one’s thoughts are captivated by love, romance, and fun between the sheets, it can be a little off-putting to let thoughts of science invade the moment. A team of Canadian scientists suggests otherwise, however. They’ve recently published the findings of a study they conducted that pairs science and female erogenous zones. Knowing what they know may even add a new passionate dimension to one’s amorous encounters.
The Reason
The research team — four male doctors — expects the information on multi-sensory detection revealed in the study could lead to improved surgical and medical standards for treating women for a variety of conditions. Specifically mentioned in the introduction to their study are aging, sexual function, surgeries involving the breasts and genitals, and treatment of diseases affecting the genitalia.
The Technique
Thirty healthy women, 18 to 35 years old, volunteered for the study. Each woman undressed and lied down on a sheet-draped exam table. Scientific instruments were calibrated to deliver various forms of controlled touch — light touch, pressure, vibration — to many parts of each woman’s body. Some parts seem obvious but others maybe not so much. Each zone was stimulated for 1.5 seconds and, after five seconds passed, the women were asked if they felt anything.
The Zones
The body parts under study were categorized as:
- Primary genital zone: clitoris, labia minora, and the areas surrounding the vaginal and anal openings (vaginal and anal margins)
- Secondary sexual zone: areola, nipple, lateral (side) breast area, and neck
- Neutral zone: abdomen and forearm
The Climax
Different parts responded differently to different touches:
- Light touch: forearm, neck, and vaginal margin were most sensitive; areola was least sensitive
- Pressure: clitoris and nipple most sensitive; abdomen and lateral breast least sensitive
- Vibration: clitoris and nipple are most sensitive
Different responses by zone include:
- Light touch: Sensation felt in the primary and secondary zones was not statistically different but the secondary zone was found to be significantly more sensitive to light touch than the neutral zone.
- Pressure: Again, there was little difference in sensation felt in the primary and secondary zones but both zones were much more sensitive to light pressure than the neutral zone.
- Vibration: The secondary sexual zone is much more sensitive to vibration than the primary and neutral zones but there was little difference noted between the primary and neutral zones when stimulated with vibration.
The four doctors conducting the experiment acknowledge their findings will be put to clinical use. How the rest of us use their findings is nobody’s business but our own.
Source: Cordeau, Dany, MA, PhD, et al. “The Assessment of Sensory Detection Thresholds on the Perineum and Breast Compared with Control Body Sites (abstract).” The Journal of Sexual Medicine. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. May 8, 2014. Web. Jun 24, 2014.