AUTONOMIC ACTIVITY DURING SEXUAL AROUSAL.

Autonomic activity was recorded from 16 male subjects as they read sexually stimulating material. The resulting physiological response patterns included increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, palmar conductance and number of galvanic skin responses. Heart and respiration rates remained relatively constant, and there was some indication of peripheral vasodilatation subsequent to initial constriction. The results suggest a differential change in the activity of both branches of the autonomic nervous system, in which neither the parasympathetic nor the sympathetic nervous system may be considered dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]