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The first 20-second epoch of orgasm was contrasted with the 20-second epochs at the beginning of stimulation and immediately before and after orgasm. Separate analyses were conducted for whole-brain and brainstem regions of interest. For a finer-grained analysis of the peri-orgasm phase, we conducted a time-course analysis on regions of interest. Head movement was minimized to a mean less than 1.3 mm using a custom-fitted thermoplastic whole-head and neck brace stabilizer.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Outcomes<\/jats:title><jats:p>Ten women experienced orgasm elicited by self- and partner-induced genital stimulation in a Siemens 3-T Trio fMRI scanner.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Brain activity gradually increased leading up to orgasm, peaked at orgasm, and then decreased. We found no evidence of deactivation of brain regions leading up to or during orgasm. The activated brain regions included sensory, motor, reward, frontal cortical, and brainstem regions (eg, nucleus accumbens, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, operculum, right angular gyrus, paracentral lobule, cerebellum, hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, ventral tegmental area, and dorsal raphe).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Clinical Translation<\/jats:title><jats:p>Insight gained from the present findings could provide guidance toward a rational basis for treatment of orgasmic disorders, including anorgasmia.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Strengths and Limitations<\/jats:title><jats:p>This is evidently the first fMRI study of orgasm elicited by self- and partner-induced genital stimulation in women. Methodologic solutions to the technical issues posed by excessive head movement and variable latencies to orgasm were successfully applied in the present study, enabling identification of brain regions involved in orgasm. Limitations include the small sample (N\u00a0= 10), which combined self- and partner-induced stimulation datasets for analysis and which qualify the generalization of our conclusions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Extensive cortical, subcortical, and brainstem regions reach peak levels of activity at orgasm.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2017.08.014","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,10,5]],"date-time":"2017-10-05T04:31:07Z","timestamp":1507177867000},"page":"1380-1391","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/elsevier_cm_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":59,"title":["Brain Activity Unique to Orgasm in Women: An fMRI Analysis"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Nan J.","family":"Wise","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleni","family":"Frangos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Barry R.","family":"Komisaruk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology \u00a0 , Newark, NJ , USA"},{"name":"Rutgers University\u2013Newark \u00a0 , Newark, NJ , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,10,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1038\/nn1208","article-title":"Men and women differ in amygdala response to visual sexual stimuli","volume":"7","author":"Hamann","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nat Neurosci"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2012.10.007","article-title":"Lower sexual interest in postpartum women: relationship to amygdala activation and intranasal oxytocin","volume":"63","author":"Rupp","year":"2013","journal-title":"Horm Behav"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.10014","article-title":"Areas of brain activation in males and females during viewing of erotic film excerpts","volume":"16","author":"Karama","year":"2002","journal-title":"Hum Brain Mapp"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9185","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.23-27-09185.2003","article-title":"Brain activation during human male ejaculation","volume":"23","author":"Holstege","year":"2003","journal-title":"J\u00a0Neurosci"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1086","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2005.03.025","article-title":"Dynamics of male sexual arousal: distinct components of brain activation revealed by fMRI","volume":"15","author":"Feretti","year":"2005","journal-title":"Neuroimage"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"288","DOI":"10.1177\/1073858404271981","article-title":"Sex differences in the responses of the human amygdala","volume":"11","author":"Hamann","year":"2005","journal-title":"Neuroscientist"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib7","first-page":"1602","article-title":"The role of left superior parietal lobe in male sexual behavior: dynamics of distinct components revealed by fMRI","volume":"9","author":"Cera","year":"2012","journal-title":"J\u00a0Sex Med"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1080\/00207450600588980","article-title":"The role of prefrontal systems in sexual behavior","volume":"117","author":"Spinella","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Neurosci"},{"key":"2023011111043371100_bib9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neulet.2007.01.058","article-title":"Does dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation return to baseline when sexual stimuli cease? 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