A Case of Female Orgasm Without Genital Stimulation

Abstract Introduction Orgasm is a complex, multimodal reflex induced typically by genital stimulation. Genitally stimulated orgasms (GSOs) activate excitatory neurochemical pathways in the brain and spinal cord that ultimately stimulate sympathetic outflow and the inhibition of parasympathetic spinal circuits in the lower lumbar cord. However, some women claim to have orgasms spontaneously without genital stimulation. Aims To report the case of a 33-year-old woman who developed the ability to attain and control the duration of a subjective orgasmic state without genital stimulation after tantric training. Methods Blood was taken at weekly intervals before, during, and after spontaneously-induced orgasms that lasted 5 or 10 minutes, or after a 10-minutes period of book reading. Plasma was analyzed using ELISA for luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, free testosterone, and prolactin. The woman also provided subjective scores for different types of orgasms using the Mah and Binik (2002) Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS). Results Prolactin levels post orgasm increased by 25% and 48%, respectively, after the 5- or 10-minutes non-genitally stimulated orgasm (NGSO), and were still elevated from baseline 30 minutes after orgasm. No changes were observed in FSH or free testosterone. The pattern of sensory, affective, and evaluative orgasm ratings after a 10-minutes NGSO was similar to orgasms induced by clitoral or anal stimulation. Book reading did not result in any change in prolactin. Conclusion Prolactin surges after orgasm are an objective marker of orgasm quality. The increase in prolactin after her NGSOs indicate that they induce the same physiological changes as GSOs and result from “top-down” processing in the brain.