Female Sexual Arousal Disorder - Anatomy and Physiology

Clitoris and Surrounding Erectile Tissue

There is a significant density of tactile receptors in the clitoris. The anterior vaginal wall is also rich in tactile receptors. Freud encouraged a developmental idea about volatility to explain how a little girl turns into a woman. He indicated that from the onset of puberty, libido increases in boys; at the same time, in girls, a fresh wave of repression occurs that affects clitoridal sexuality. This limited period of anasthesia, Freud thought, was needed to enable successful transferrence of a girl's erotogenic susceptibility to stimulant from the clitoris to the vaginal orifice. Even though his suggestion that there are also tactile receptors in the anterior vaginal wall is correct, there is no evidence that the anterior wall becomes excitable at the expense of clitoral sensitivity. Contrary to Freud's belief, there is ample evidence that women who learned to know their own sexuality through masturbation are able to transfer this knowledge (or skill) to coital stimulation with a partner. For a long time, ideas similar to those of Freud have been used to suppress masturbation in girls and women. Even today there are many women with a partner, who feel guilty when masturbating.

The clitoris contains two stripes of erectile tissue (corpora cavernosum) that diverge into the crura inside the labia majora. On the foundation of recent anatomical studies, O Connell et al. advised to rename these structures as bulbs of the clitoris. They found that there is erectile tissue linked to the clitoris and extending backwards, surrounding the perineal part of the urethra. Nevertheless, most anatomical facts have been known for a long time. The clitoris parasympathethic innervation comes from lumbosacral segments L2 S2, while its sympathetic supply is from the hypogastric superior plexus. The pudendal and hypogastric nerves serve its sensory innervation. It responds with increased blood flow and tumescence on being stimulated through sexual arousal. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS), among many other neuropeptides, has been identified in the complex network of nerves in the clitoral tissue.

About The Author

David Crawford is the CEO and owner of a Male Enhancement Products company known as Male Enhancement Group which is dedicated to researching and comparing male enhancement products in order to determine which male enhancement product is safer and more effective than other products on the market. Copyright 2009 David Crawford of Male Enhancement Facts This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

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