Although orgasm has been studied for decades, it is only now that scientists have found a mathematical formula to achieve it for sure, reveals New Atlas.
Mathematical models are already used to analyze, explain and apprehend behaviors or physiological events such as breathing, blood circulation, hearing or vision. As for sex, it is still very often a taboo subject, which hinders the collection and study of complete data on sexual practices.
However, a research team from the University of Sussex in the UK decided to take the bull by the horns. She was inspired by mathematical models used to analyze and improve sports performance, but applying them to the quest for orgasm.
The researcher at the origin of the study relied in particular on the research of William Masters, gynecologist, and Virginia Johnson, sexologist, carried out between 1957 and 1990. The latter managed to measure the physiological reactions during there human sexual response. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), they discovered which parts of the brain were in action during sexual stimulation and orgasm.
Four phases and one key
One thing seems to stand out among all the data, old and new: sexual response is a complex process, different in women and men. The University of Sussex team decided to focus initially on the male orgasm, which is less complicated than the female one. “Researchers have already attempted to write models to describe the physiological course of orgasm,” explains Konstantin Blyuss, co-author of the study. “Building on already established data, as well as our previous research, we have developed the first mathematical formula that works on sexual performance.”
By tracking the four phases of the male sexual response cycle—arousal, plateau, orgasm, and regression—researchers have found that when high psychological stimulation occurs too early in the cycle, the chances of achieving an orgasm decrease. They then made two equations to illustrate their results: one concerning the physiological aspect of orgasm, then another on its psychological aspect.
In order to avoid a migraine in the face of these two mathematical formulas with wacky symbolswe’ll make it short: to reach orgasm, the key is not to think regarding it too much. «Our research sheds light on a taboo subject and it might, in our opinion, be very useful in treating sexual dysfunctions as well as improving sex life,” highlights Yuliya Kyrychko, coauthor of the study.
The next step is to study the female sexual response. “Through our research, we have‘intention to formulate mathematically the sexual response of women which is physiologically –and mathematically– much more complex than that ofare men», annonce Kyrychko.