Back on June 11, 2005, New Scientist let us know about this amazing scientific breakthrough:

Genes blamed for fickle female orgasm

Only 14 per cent of the women reported always experiencing orgasm during intercourse. Another 32 per cent of the women reported that they were unable to achieve orgasm more than a quarter of the time, while 16 per cent never achieved it at all. Comparing the results from identical and non-identical twins suggests that 34 per cent of this variation in ability to orgasm during intercourse is genetic.
“The finding supports the theory that the female orgasm is an accidental echo of the male one, the equivalent of male nipples”

The idea behind twin studies is that pairs of twins grow up in similar environments. So if identical twins are more similar in some way than non-identical twins, then that similarity must be down to their identical genes rather than the environment.

Unsurprisingly, more women were able to achieve orgasm through masturbation, with 34 per cent saying they could always do so. However, the figure for those who could never achieve it was only slightly lower, at 14 per cent. The analysis suggests that 45 per cent of this variation is genetic (Biology Letters, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0308).

On Monday, June 20, 2005, the fine folks at New Scientist were on top, so to speak, of the latest female orgasm findings:

Orgasms: A real “turn-off” for women

In one sense the findings appear to confirm what is already known, that women cannot enjoy sex unless they are relaxed and free from worries and distractions. “Fear and anxiety levels have to go down for orgasm. Everyone knows this but we can see it happening in the brain,” he explains.

From an evolutionary point of view, it could be that the brain switches off the emotions during sex because at such times the chance to produce offspring becomes more important than the survival risk to the individual. Holstege points to the extraordinary behaviour seen in some animals during the breeding season, such as March hares, when the urge to mate seems to override the usual fear of predators.

But Holstege cannot explain why there is such extreme deactivation in so many areas of the brain during orgasm. Only one small part of the brain, in the cerebellum, was more active during female orgasm. The cerebellum is normally associated with coordinating movement, though there is also some evidence that it helps regulate emotions. “We don’t know what activation of the cerebellum corresponds to,” Holstege admits.

So, to summarize, about half of a woman’s ability to achieve orgasm is genetically determined (surprise, surprise, leaving about another half to be determined by one’s environment and personality!). And for those women who can achieve orgasm, a good part of their brain shuts down its activity for a few seconds.

Glad to know science is keeping us updated on these important findings. These poor researchers must lead a difficult social life…

“So, what do you do for a living?”

“Uh, I research female orgasms.”

“Uh-huh, sure you do. Get away from me, perv!”

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 24 Jun 2005
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.