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Genes drive ability to orgasm: Scientists say DNA exerts strong influence on whether women climax
Nature Magazine ^ | 8 June 2005 | Roxanne Khamsi

Posted on 06/08/2005 3:40:51 AM PDT by PatrickHenry

A woman's genetic make-up accounts for at least a third of her ability to climax during sex, say researchers, and may even account for as much as 60%.

Further investigations into the genetic differences that influence orgasms in women could help produce drugs to treat female sexual dysfunction, they say.

Relatively little is known about the female orgasm, the peak of sexual excitement normally marked by vaginal contractions. "It's a taboo subject," explains Tim Spector, who directs the Twin Research Unit at St Thomas' Hospital, London, and co-authored the report.

Women do not need to climax in order to conceive and give birth, a fact that makes the evolutionary cause of their orgasm slightly mysterious. In contrast, men who cannot orgasm miss the chance to pass on their genes and fall victim to natural selection.

So what function does the female orgasm serve? As well as making women more interested in the activity of procreation, recent investigations have found the contractions it involves can bring sperm closer to the egg, increasing the chance of conception.

Evolutionary psychologists have also suggested that the female orgasm might help women to select caring partners: those who are particularly attentive in the bedroom may also be more supportive in other aspects of life.

Twin peaks

To find out which factors most affect a woman's ability to climax, Spector and his colleagues sent a questionnaire to more than 4,000 female twins to complete anonymously. Recipients included nearly 700 pairs of identical twins, who share the same DNA.

The researchers asked how often the women climaxed during sex. Only 14% of the women reported always achieving an orgasm. At the other end of the spectrum, 16% of them said they never reach orgasm or are unsure about whether they do or not.

As in other studies of twins, the scientists assume that twins share similar family environments. The overall difference between trends in identical twins and fraternal twins is thus attributed to genetic influences. The analysis suggests that genes explain at least 34% of the probability that a woman orgasms during sex. When it came to masturbation, this number climbed to 45%, the researchers report in Biology Letters1.

This number could go even higher, they add, if one could account for other variables, such as the different techniques of the women's partners. Genetic influences have been seen to account for as much as 60% of variability in other complex traits, such as obesity.

Pleasure in a pill

The number of genes that influence the female orgasm remains unknown. But researchers reason that comparing the DNA of women who always orgasm with that of those who never do could shed light on the biological pathway behind the process. Drugs could then be developed to target the most influential genes or gene products in this pathway.

Medications for male erectile problems, such as Pfizer's Viagra (sildenafil citrate), have already given men more options, says London-based relationship therapist Ruth Mitchell. But she says women lack a similarly popular and effective treatment.

Even with the promise of drugs, Mitchell cautions that many factors besides biology affect the ability to orgasm. "There's such a huge impact from conditioning and expectation," she says.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: crevolist; gettingintoyourgenes; o; orgasm
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Now please, gentlemen ... this is a serious article from Nature, a highly-respected, peer-reviewed science journal. Behave yourselves accordingly.
1 posted on 06/08/2005 3:40:51 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
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To: VadeRetro; Junior; longshadow; RadioAstronomer; Doctor Stochastic; js1138; Shryke; RightWhale; ...
EvolutionPing
A pro-evolution science list with over 280 names.
See the list's description at my freeper homepage.
Then FReepmail to be added or dropped.

2 posted on 06/08/2005 3:42:21 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: All
The link at the top of the thread doesn't seem to work. Here's a link to the article in Nature: Genes drive ability to orgasm
3 posted on 06/08/2005 3:46:00 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas. The List-O-Links is at my homepage.)
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To: PatrickHenry

"It's a taboo subject,"

LOL! There's been nothing taboo about the female orgasm for the last 20 years! It's all some women even discuss and it's been on Broadway for pete's sake.


4 posted on 06/08/2005 3:50:24 AM PDT by Arkie2 (No, I never voted for Bill Clinton. I don't plan on voting Republican again!)
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To: PatrickHenry

Interesting that this was published after Mother's Day but before Father's Day. Wonder which parent passes along the "best" genes.


5 posted on 06/08/2005 3:55:36 AM PDT by bd476
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To: PatrickHenry
Can it get anymore ridiculous than this?

So laughable!

I now click on evolution threads expecting humor.
6 posted on 06/08/2005 4:00:09 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: PatrickHenry
A woman's genetic make-up accounts for at least a third of her ability to climax during sex, say researchers, and may even account for as much as 60%.

Well, there goes my W & W theory.

Wine and Barry White ...

7 posted on 06/08/2005 4:04:21 AM PDT by dread78645 (Sorry Mr. Franklin, We couldn't keep it.)
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To: PatrickHenry

Good...yet ANOTHER thing Stephen Jay Gould was wrong about.


8 posted on 06/08/2005 4:05:08 AM PDT by Pharmboy ("Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God")
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To: PatrickHenry
Medications for male erectile problems, such as Pfizer's Viagra (sildenafil citrate), have already given men more options, says London-based relationship therapist Ruth Mitchell.

Folks, look no further than this sentence. It simply fails to discuss how looking at the gene's of men brought about Viagra - oh, wait a minute. Maybe that is because Viagra was discovered outside of genetic factors! So, this article, and research, has one motive: promoting EVOLUTION, using sex as bait.

I bet the authors spent a lot of time in the magazine asiles looking at Hot Rod magazine, and noting the cars always had a pretty girl w/ them. I can see the cover of Hot Evolution now!!


9 posted on 06/08/2005 4:05:38 AM PDT by gobucks (http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/classics/students/Ribeiro/Laocoon.htm)
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To: bd476

Timing indeed....


10 posted on 06/08/2005 4:08:19 AM PDT by gobucks (http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/classics/students/Ribeiro/Laocoon.htm)
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To: PatrickHenry
"It's a taboo subject," explains Tim Spector, who directs the Twin Research Unit at St Thomas' Hospital, London, and co-authored the report.

Proving once again that the old saying, "No sex please, we're British" is still true.

11 posted on 06/08/2005 4:09:07 AM PDT by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice.)
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To: PatrickHenry; pissant
Some jeans have the same effect on me.


12 posted on 06/08/2005 4:12:40 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Larry Lucido

Actually, it just proves that men named "Gene" are fantastic lovers...


13 posted on 06/08/2005 4:13:41 AM PDT by ken5050
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To: PatrickHenry

Thanks Mom & Dad.....


14 posted on 06/08/2005 4:26:01 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: PatrickHenry
So what function does the female orgasm serve?

Who cares? </Sam Kinison>

15 posted on 06/08/2005 4:26:38 AM PDT by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
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To: PatrickHenry

An interesting hypothesis. I visited PubMed in order to find the paper this article discusses, and got no matches, so the paper is likely still waiting to be printed. However, that means we may not see the exact methods employed by the researchers. Seeing as the achievement of the subject of the article includes many factors that are poorly accounted for (such as mood and the level of happiness with one's partner, whether the study subjects are married or unmarried, et cetera), methodology is a concern.


16 posted on 06/08/2005 4:28:21 AM PDT by AQGeiger (Have you hugged your soldier today?)
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To: PatrickHenry
"Genes drive ability to orgasm:"

I realize I might be behind the curve, but is orgasm a verb?

17 posted on 06/08/2005 4:30:34 AM PDT by OldEagle (We might be in the end times, but it looks like we are finally moving in the RIGHT direction.)
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To: anniegetyourgun

"Thanks Mom & Dad....."

;D!


18 posted on 06/08/2005 4:34:29 AM PDT by poobear
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To: OldEagle
I realize I might be behind the curve, but is orgasm a verb?

Merriam-Webster says that it's not. I've also heard the word used as a verb many times.

19 posted on 06/08/2005 4:35:53 AM PDT by AQGeiger (Have you hugged your soldier today?)
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To: PatrickHenry

Well, thank gawd, its not my fault!

:]


20 posted on 06/08/2005 4:35:54 AM PDT by Adder (Can we bring back stoning again? Please?)
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