From intense passion to deep sleep in a few minutes. One of the fastest biological transitions in men happens after intercourse: it is the refractory period , the ‘slump’ produced after orgasm, after ejaculation , and which lasts until the man is able to start another sexual relationship again. It can last from a few minutes in younger men to a few hours. This phase is related to a complex set of hormones , including prolactin . The same hormone that makes breastfeeding possible is involved in some 300 biological processes, including the production of semen and also sexual desire.
The researcher Susana Lima from the Champalimaud for the Unknown center , as part of her series of publications The neurobiology of sex , has observed this process in laboratory mice: “it is shocking to see how before ejaculation, the female is the most desired object and Right after orgasm, it is relegated to the background, “he explains. During different phases of the sexual behavior of the mice, their prolactin levels were measured and it was observed that, after orgasm and ejaculation , there is a peak in prolactin levels in both sexes, which coincides with a decrease in sexual desire .
Evolutionarily, it can be explained as follows: since biologically the objective of ejaculation is reproduction , the man will try to conserve energy until he can mate with another female. A reserve phase attributed to prolactin . Despite this, there are still more studies to corroborate it. “One way to shorten the refractory period would be to present a new female, ” explains the researcher. This would increase the level of other types of hormones, such as dopamine and adrenaline, and they would reactivate sexual desire.
However, the relationship between prolactin and sexual desire has been established previously. Men with a pituitary tumor experience an overproduction of prolactin, and this causes a decrease in sexual desire. The same happens to women who are breastfeeding , at which time prolactin levels rise.
So could prolactin control become a substitute for viagra? In theory, by consciously decreasing prolactin levels we could manipulate, in this case increase , sexual desire. For Lima, prolactin seems like a serious candidate. “Right now, we are blocking prolactin in the brain areas that we know are important for sexual behavior and seeing which of these areas turn on,” he explains. It remains to be seen exactly to what extent prolactin is involved in sexual desire.
What is a prolactinoma?
It should be added that prolactin production may be related to a physiological problem. The hormone prolactin is secreted by the pituitary or pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of the brain. Under normal circumstances, the prolactin level will be low in non-pregnant women and in men.
However, if prolactin levels are higher than normal, this may indicate the presence of a tumor of the pituitary gland, known as a prolactinoma , which is why the gland produces too much prolactin. This type of tumor, although benign, can damage nearby tissues. Also, in men, it can cause erectile dysfunction; and, in women, from menstrual problems to infertility.
Referencias:
Susana Lima (2017). “The neurobiology of sex. Part 3: A happy ending is only the beginning”. Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown AR Magazine.
