Hypersexuality: what happens in the brain of a sex addict?

A study shows the brain activations of hypersexual people.

Most mental health professionals agree in their explanation of sex addiction: it would not be a chemical or physiological addiction.as is the case with most drugs (cocaine, alcohol, tobacco), but rather the cause is to be found in some kind of behavioral disorder.

What exactly is going on in the brain of a sex addict?

To shed more light on the nature of hypersexuality hypersexualityCambridge University has come up with a novel study. Nineteen men underwent brain scans while watching scenes from pornographic films.

Surprising data

The research showed that the brain regions that were activated were the very same reward centers that are activated in the brains of drug addicts when they visualize the substance to which they are hooked.

Some of the subjects studied were close to the sex addict profile. In fact, two of them had recently lost their jobs for using pornography in the office, and four of the other subjects stated that using porn was their way of avoiding resorting to prostitutes.

In short, the sample was purposely selected so that the experimental subjects were, to some degree, obsessed with sex. Rather than a typical addiction, the researchers felt it accurate to suggest that this type of sex addiction is closer to an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Scanning the brain

The group of researchers who conducted the study observed certain changes in brain activity thanks to the images they obtained from the brain scan. Thus, they were able to see that a series of changes occurred in the brain when the experimental subjects watched porn.

Later they compared the results shown in the scanner with the results obtained in a sample group, with a sexual behavior within the normal range. The results and conclusions, published in PLoS One, reported higher levels of activation among the "addicts" in up to three specific regions of the brainthe anterior cingulate cortex, the amygdala and the ventral striatum. These areas are exactly the same ones that register a surge of activation when addicts to prohibited substances see the drug.

Is hypersexuality an addiction?

One of the coordinators of the study, Valerie Moon, commented: "more studies will still be necessary to be able to argue that we are dealing with an addiction". "We don't know if some of these effects in the brain are caused by predispositions that help develop sex addiction behaviors, or if it is simply an effect of pornography... it's hard to say, and we will have to continue to investigate.

For his part, Dr. John Williams, director of the neuroscience and mental health department of the Welcome Trustadds that "compulsive behaviors, such as excessive pornography viewing, sports betting or overeating, are increasingly common in our society. The Cambridge University study leads us to a somewhat better position in understanding why some people are prone to repeat some sexual behaviors that they know are harmful to them.

"Whether it's sexual addiction, substance abuse or eating disorders, it is key for professionals to know when and how to intervene.”, finaliza Williams.

Referencias bibliográficas:

• Ellis, A., & Sagarin, E. (1965). Nymphomania: A Study of oversexed women. London: Ortolan.
• Kafka, M. P. (2001). The paraphilia-related disorders: A proposal for a unified classification of nonparaphilic hypersexuality disorders. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity.
• Krafft-Ebing, R. von (1886/1965). Psychopathia sexualis: A medico–forensic study (H. E. Wedeck, Trans.). New York: Putnam.
• Uitti, R. J., Tanner, C. M., & Rajput, A. H. (1989). Hypersexuality with antiparkinsonian therapy. Clinical Neuropharmacology.
• Estudio original: http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/brain-activity-...