dopamine

Some stimuli will invoke a huge, quick response, and others a smaller, yet longer, extended response. There is a varying degree of neurotransmitter release depending on the strength of the stimulus, as well as how long we are in the presence of it. Remember last time - I told you that the longer you interface with a stimulus, or the more time you spend interacting with it, the greater attachment you will form to it.

Some studies have looked at the different types of sex and the variable neurochemical responses based on the type of sex the person is engaging in. However, it is probably not the case that the penis causes more dopamine to be released than a vibrator, for example. More likely, it is the state of mind the person is in that really has an effect on the amount of pleasure he or she is experiencing.

The cognitive state of the brain at any given moment in time is what causes the release of dopamine, whether it is prompted by a physical or a mental stimulus. Can the brain be stimulated via tactile nerve pathways to release large amounts of dopamine? Sure. However, consider this: You can give one person two separate, yet identical patterns of physiological stimulation, and end up getting radically different subjective experiences as a result. This implies that it is not just the physical act of sex that gives us so much pleasure, but how we represent that act in our mind that really has impact...