Ep.12. Barry Komisaruk: The Scientist of Orgasm

Barry Komisaruk, PhD, pioneered the study of the brain-body connection in orgasm.

He is the world's leading expert in this domain.

His work began with animals, progressed to those with spinal cord injuries, and now encompasses women and men of all ages.

His unique approach to studying orgasm will...blow your mind!

Listen in as he shares the stories that made him a legend in his field with Dr. Marco Pelosi III.

SHOW NOTES

Neuroscience [5:00]

emerged as a field in the 1960s.

There are [6:45]

at least 50,000 neuroscientists in the world.

You are known [7:38]

as The Orgasm Guy on the basis of things you did in your research.

We were [9:45]

studying brain activity in response to vaginal stimulation first in animals.

Vaginal stimulation [11:15]

in rats appeared to block pain receptors in the brain, so I had to do a human study.

Surprisingly [13:30]

women with complete high spinal cord injuries can feel vaginal stimulation.

Functional MRI [14:45]

was the best way to study the brain response in this situation and some women had orgasms.

Nobody [15:30]

knows where orgasm occurs in the brain so that led me to study healthy women under MRI.

LEEP [17:00]

procedures can cause loss of sensation throughout the body.

I have [20:30]

an animal lab and a human lab.

I recruit [23:20]

study subjects by word of mouth.

Persistent [26:45]

genital arousal disorder is caused by pressure from discs, etc.

Others [27:45]

develop genital numbness preceded by a period of hypersensitivity treatable with spinal surgery.

What [29:00]

prompted you to write your first book?

To get [33:00]

funded by the NIH, I couldn't use the word vagina.

The media [35:00]

has interviewed you extensively.

I grew [36:00]

up in the Bronx.

A few [37:00]

crystals of estrogen placed in the brain of a rat turned on sexual behavior.

Aside [38:45]

from a group in Holland nobody else is doing neurological orgasm brain activity research.

A typical [40:15]

MRI session for this study takes two hours.

I have [42:00]

two sons both in education.

For more information on Dr. Komisaruk, visit:

http://nwkpsych.rutgers.edu/~brk/