Image: Abel Mitja Varela
-
The Wisdom of Psychopaths
In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a...
Read More »
In studies that observe the brain in action, the right hemisphere seems to be the sexy hemisphere. It lights up during orgasm—so much so that, in one study, much of the cortex went dark, leaving the right prefrontal cortex as a bright island. New research suggests the right hemisphere is also hyperactive amongst the “hypersexual,” a symptom of brain injury loosely defined as groping, propositioning or masturbating in public without shame.
What is surprising about this is that pleasure is classically thought of as the province of the left hemisphere, not the right. The left is most active when recalling happy memories, meditating on love for another, and during the expansiveness of grandiosity or mania.
The left hemisphere is even preferentially more active among people free of depression and less active among the unhappy. If the brain were a simpler and more cooperative organ, the left hemisphere would be lit up like the Fourth of July during an orgasm. Instead, it is surprisingly silent. Why might this be so?
Until eight years ago, neuroscience had little scientific basis from which to comment on bliss, sexual or otherwise. Despite our public fascination with things sexual, as researcher, Gemma O’Brien put it, “orgasm is not impersonal and third person enough for the sciences.” Neuroscience was hobbled by the avoidance of such squashy topics, even if it meant setting aside important parts of human experience. However, a clearer portrait of pleasure is now emerging. Bliss, both sacred and profane, shares the diminution of self-awareness, alterations in bodily perception and decreased sense of pain. And while the left frontal lobe may be linked to pleasure, the other three characteristics are bilateral.
Absence of pain is predictably akin to pleasure, but the other two—losing a sense of identity and of bodily limits—are less obvious. Self-awareness, apparently, is no picnic. William James described the self as that kernel of consciousness that persists throughout various experiences and sensations. The self is divided between the stream of consciousness and an internal observer—except in those rare moments when we dissolve into mysticism.
Self-awareness exists as a running critique organizing conscious experience. Telling stories to ourselves (often about ourselves) is the cognitive default.
Escaping continual self-observation seems an underappreciated pleasure. Roy Baumeister wrote an entire book devoted to the premise that self-awareness is frequently a burden. Across cultures, we blunt awareness with alcohol, drugs, auto-hypnotic rituals and when times are dire, suicide. Meditation offers relief from this self-preoccupation and one of the few tools for creating a durable boost in happiness—perhaps by dampening activity in regions implicated in judgment, comparison, planning and self-scrutiny. Left prefrontal cortex activation correlates with happiness and Tibetan Buddhist monks have created the greatest measured spike in activity in this region produced by simple thought when meditating on compassion. The reported depth of meditation also corresponds to activity in the brain’s pleasure centers, such as left forebrain bundle, anterior insula and precentral gyrus. This overt pleasure is accompanied by a shift in emotional self-regulation; meditators are more aware of thoughts and feelings conceptually, but less emotionally disrupted by them, according to one study. Both hemispheres are involved in self-observation.
See what we're tweeting about
21 Comments
Add CommentThese sorts of analyses by neuroscientists that simplistically assign specific functions to geographical regions of the brain seem to imply that we need only to implant an electrode in the right prefrontal cortex to experience bliss. Isn't there a bit more to the brain than just this simple geography? Hopefully more is known than just this...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe topic of brain lateralization, while mythically entertaining and the fodder for endless suppositions, has consistently failed scrutiny as being either this (logic) or that (emotional surrender). However, I will tell you that the largest hemisphere to hemisphere connection, the corpus callosum, is 30-40% larger in women than in men. Thus the reason for so much smudging of the hemispheric "to do" lists. This explains why women can effectively lose themselves in the moment much better than men...i.e. "the dimunition of self-awarewness and alterations in body awareness." But this is evolutionary induced: while the alpha male or better yet, the beta male, was engaged behind the female "inflagrante", he had to remain both in the moment, ahhhhh, i.e. blissfully unaware, (the parasympathetic nervous system) and prostatically painfully aware (the sympathetic nervous system) that the paw steps in the bushes just might be Alpha buddy or Chef Lion King---gettin' ready for a meal. The female, at worst, wound up with a new suitor or got to watch the "Friday Night Fights." Whomsoever named it the "Y" chromosome was asking questions not merely alphabetically falling in line (X, Y, Z).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat is joy, bliss, pleasure, and the ability to be self aware? In the sixties we had the Joy of Sex,and in the 90's we had Tai Chi and exercise. But, where does pleasure come from and what are its neurological origins? How does the brain experience pleasure, the central organ that gives conscientiousness to the self. When we deny pleasure to the self, do we in turn deny the self? The researchers state that the left hemisphere lights up like the Fourth of July during orgasms (you can't get the same result from a cattle prod, although some would get their jollies with one). Now that we know what floats your boat and what part of the brain is happiest when you are in the pleasure zone, may we find Nirvana in the Joys of Sex,and the Joy of Masturbation. May you find pleasure in all the things you do, what ever part of the brain lights up the night.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe researchers state that the left hemisphere lights up like the Fourth of July during orgasms (you can't get the same result from a cattle prod, although some would get their jollies with one). Now that we know what floats your boat and what part of the brain is happiest when you are in the pleasure zone, may we find Nirvana in the Joys of Sex,and the Joy of Masturbation<a href="http://google.com">.</a>
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMasturbating in public or urinating in the sugar bowl were two classical diagnostic signs of manic disorder, however, it's dangerous waiting for such evident facts to take measures for the patient's and neighbours protection.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSit awhile and clear the mind of whatever it senses, and think of nothing, will help to clear the confusion of the mind
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTo quote Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: "Bliss [absolute bliss-consciousness or sat chit ananada] is not blissful."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe state of pure consciousness, sometimes called pure bliss consciousness, is a state where the brain remains alert but there are no objects of attention. That includes any and all sensations, emotions, feelings, thoughts, including some kind of ecstasy or orgasmic sensation.
The physiological correlates of pure consciousness during TM practice do NOT include the physiological correlates found in the meditation research cited in the above article, but an entirely different set. Likewise, the physiological correlates of reports of permanent pure consciousness outside of TM practice (aka "enlightenment") are similar to those found during TM practice, and again, nothing like the ones cited in this article.
Research on the physiological correlates of pure consciousness found during TM practice:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7045911
Breath suspension during the transcendental meditation technique.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10512549
Pure consciousness: distinct phenomenological and physiological correlates of "consciousness itself".
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9009807
Autonomic patterns during respiratory suspensions: possible markers of Transcendental Consciousness.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10487785
Autonomic and EEG patterns during eyes-closed rest and transcendental meditation (TM) practice: the basis for a neural model of TM practice.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862565
A self-referential default brain state: patterns of coherence, power, and eLORETA sources during eyes-closed rest and Transcendental Meditation practice.
Research on the physiological correlates of pure consciousness outside of meditation in long-term TM meditators:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12406612
Patterns of EEG coherence, power, and contingent negative variation characterize the integration of transcendental and waking states.
http://www.tm.org/american-psychological-association
Abstract for the 2007 Conference of the American Psychological Association
Brain Integration Scale: Corroborating Language-based Instruments of Post-conventional Development
Research on the physiological correlates of the stabilization of pure consciousness in non-meditators:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01007.x/full
Higher psycho-physiological refinement in world-class Norwegian athletes: brain measures of performance capacity
As someone who has had Bipolar disorder all of my adult life, I have experienced mania which includes, among many other symptoms, hypersexuality and orgasms of an intensity, frequency and ease far beyond anything experienced or even imaginable when not manic. Unfortunately, the trade-off is that I also experience the depressive cycles that bring me to the very brink of suicide. So from my perspective, researching "bliss" may eventually lead to further understanding of the manic cycle and the thoughts and behaviors that result from it. The studies being the subject of this article may not be as "perfect" as many of the commenters seem to desire, but these relatively newer methods of studying the brain and their results provide me with hope that we may eventually at least understand the mechanisms behind the extremes and cycles of the depression and mania that I experience, even if they do not lead to a cure. I'd forego the orgasms and "bliss" when manic in a minute if it would mean that I no longer flirt with committing suicide. So maybe cut the researchers a bit of slack and encourage these types of studies and the results to be published and shared with us. I for one want to know and appreciate this article and the fact that it has been shared by such a reputable publication.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTM also has been noted to affect bi-polar disorder in positive ways THe mechanism for how it does this may prove to be different, however.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNorman Rosenthal's new book, Transcendence, discusses this I understand.
It is confusing to use the term 'self-awareness' as the author does, when she means rumination and thinking, as opposed to being mindful. True self-awareness is in recognizing that "thinking is not one's friend", and activities where one thinks the least and is "lost in the moment" are the most enjoyable. Such recognition can only come from being mindful, which another way of saying being truly self-aware.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThank you for that information! I will definitely give TM a dedicated try and will look into Rosenthal's book. You made me realize that I have been taking so many different "cocktails" of antidepressants, mood stabilizers and "off label" medications for so many years, plus two rounds of ECT, that I have completely forgotten to look into what some may refer to as "alternative" therapies such as TM.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThank you so much for replying to me. I will definitely look into TM as well as the many cites in your original comment. I have gotten so wrapped up with my psychiatrist and research trying to "perfect" all of the drug "cocktails", including mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antianxiety and sleeping medications, with new drugs coming out or being used off label for bipolar treatment, that I completely lost site of the fact that there may be things out there that could help me other than drugs, such as TM. In fact, given the unpredictability of my cycling from mania to depression, each of which then results in my psychiatrist "tweaking" the "cocktail," TM could offer me with some constancy of treatment in that it could be utilized regardless of which cycle I happen to be in at any given moment. Unfortunately my bipolar disorder prevents me from working so Rosenthal's book or attending any in-person teaching of TM that requires a fee are not in the budget, but I assume I can find something useful somewhere on the internet--if you have any suggestions in that regard please pass them along. Again, thank you.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'd check with your local TM center and with the David Lynch Foundation. There's one set price for TM instruction and that is rather steep these days, but there are scholarships available through the DLF and sometimes through your local TM center. Good luck.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTHE BASIC point of the article and all fruitful psycho-neurological research: the brain (and all it's myriad connections/functions) = the mind. Sir Francis Crick's "astonishing hypothesis" should be evident that consciousness is fully instantiated by our physical brains... ghosts and soul-based explanations need not apply as they are both impotent and absurd.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNow... as regarding "pleasure" or even more bogus to the reality of human experience... it is meaningless except in the context of living a life with all the "challenges" (or misery) that might entail. To the extent that one experiences true pleasure, beyond the moment, is commensurate to the effort invested in whatever activity they ultimately experience success: whether finally "nailing" a piano sonata... or sexual bonding to cement a multi-faceted relationship.
No value in "truth" without deception/lies... no satiety without hunger... and duh, no pleasure sans pain. Cheers all!
Interesting. In our 43+ years of research and experimentation one of the things we've found is that optimum orgasm is felt in the entire body, and thus there is not necessarily a loss in awareness of the body or its boundaries during orgasm, and that one can have a heightened experience of the body. To be clear, our research is into extended orgasm - in which both the dramatically heightened pleasure and variously concurrent physiological side-effects (such as contractions) can occur for hours. We here Lafayette Morehouse have been discussing whether we should volunteer for one of these MRI studies to see which region(s) of the brain are active during these experiences - we regularly offer to the public a fairly clinical demonstrations of a one hour orgasm - http://www.lafayettemorehouse.com/course.html#fos.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAbsolutely there is more... Brains are not only electrical but also very chemical. (I might assume that in a lot of articles like this, it's easier to just make blanket statements about particular regions of the brain corresponding to particular functions and emotions for the sake of time... I'd like to assume the person who wrote this doesn't think of the brain with such simplicity.) Also though, the chemical understanding of the brain is a much newer development-and discovery than the electrical understanding. And there's still so so much to know.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIndeed, language can be so misleading! the small self identifies with chatter, emotions and the persona. The big Self, gained as one transcends thought after experiencing the most refined levels of thought during meditation is without attributes and therefore termed pure awareness.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMind- fullness would be a good name for this as the mind is experienced as 'full of silence", "full of stillness"- no longer fragmented. Although personally I find the term misleading as it implies that one is "doing something" ie "I am being mindful" or "you should be more mindful" which of course is just another mechanism of the little ego , or small self, as previously referred to.
This is in great contrast to the effortless and natural gliding of the mind into the big Self or pure awareness where the mind has the opportunity to let go and merge with unboundedness, a state of pure bliss where the experiencer or "knower" becomes the experience or "known"- a state of transcendence. This brings us the true definition of yoga. This is referred to as pure subjectivity or self- referral consciousness and by nature is complete fulfilment. Any meditation that transcends its own activity allows this to occur. TM is indeed the king of this process as are its derivatives such as Vedic Meditation, Quantum Meditation, Primordial Sound meditation and no doubt a host of others. For all of these we are undoubtedly grateful and indebted to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who dedicated his life to bringing this wonderful technique to every country on earth and in so doing revived the source knowledge(vedas) in such a complete and assimable manner. jai krishna. jai guru dev.
Indeed, language can be so misleading! the small self identifies with chatter, emotions and the persona. The big Self, gained as one transcends thought after experiencing the most refined levels of thought during meditation is without attributes and therefore termed pure awareness.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMind- fullness would be a good name for this as the mind is experienced as 'full of silence", "full of stillness"- no longer fragmented. Although personally I find the term misleading as it implies that one is "doing something" ie "I am being mindful" or "you should be more mindful" which of course is just another mechanism of the little ego , or small self, as previously referred to.
This is in great contrast to the effortless and natural gliding of the mind into the big Self or pure awareness where the mind has the opportunity to let go and merge with unboundedness, a state of pure bliss where the experiencer or "knower" becomes the experience or "known"- a state of transcendence. This brings us the true definition of yoga. This is referred to as pure subjectivity or self- referral consciousness and by nature is complete fulfilment. Any meditation that transcends its own activity allows this to occur. TM is indeed the king of this process as are its derivatives such as Vedic Meditation, Quantum Meditation, Primordial Sound meditation and no doubt a host of others. For all of these we are undoubtedly grateful and indebted to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who dedicated his life to bringing this wonderful technique to every country on earth and in so doing revived the source knowledge(vedas) in such a complete and assimable manner. jai krishna. jai guru dev.
Indeed, language can be so misleading! the small self identifies with chatter, emotions and the persona. The big Self, gained as one transcends thought after experiencing the most refined levels of thought during meditation is without attributes and therefore termed pure awareness.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMind- fullness would be a good name for this as the mind is experienced as 'full of silence", "full of stillness"- no longer fragmented. Although personally I find the term misleading as it implies that one is "doing something" ie "I am being mindful" or "you should be more mindful" which of course is just another mechanism of the little ego , or small self, as previously referred to.
This is in great contrast to the effortless and natural gliding of the mind into the big Self or pure awareness where the mind has the opportunity to let go and merge with unboundedness, a state of pure bliss where the experiencer or "knower" becomes the experience or "known"- a state of transcendence. This brings us the true definition of yoga. This is referred to as pure subjectivity or self- referral consciousness and by nature is complete fulfilment. Any meditation that transcends its own activity allows this to occur. TM is indeed the king of this process as are its derivatives such as Vedic Meditation, Quantum Meditation, Primordial Sound meditation and no doubt a host of others. For all of these we are undoubtedly grateful and indebted to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who dedicated his life to bringing this wonderful technique to every country on earth and in so doing revived the source knowledge(vedas) in such a complete and assimable manner. jai krishna. jai guru dev.
I welcome your feedback on this E-mail from my estranged girlfriend who is responding merely to my forward of the name and link for this article:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"
Well, I can see what was on your mind at an early hour this morning!
I was just going to send you an email about us possibily meeting to talk soon and got this from you. I think I give up at this stage. Whether you know it or not you seem obsessed with sex and what orgasm can do for you and it is totally inappropriate in a situation where we haven't even discussed those things that make all the difference to me in even wanting to have sex with you. If your priority is to just have someone to have "blissed out sex" with then go ahead and find her. That is not me. And, please don't give me that lecture again about how long its been for you as if it is my duty in life to service you.
If you don't know what comes before something as intimate and sacred as sex between two people then there is not much point in taking things any further. It seems to me that we are worlds apart in all of this. Your emails where you seem so pre-occupied with all this are so upsetting to me and they have been coming at me for so long that I feel almost battered.
I am not a sex object, Robert, and I am not going to be. And, I know about meditation. The most important thing about is that you actually do it and not just theorize about it and everything else.
What I don't see with you is caring about what I want or need and that is precisely what is destroying all that we had that was wonderful between us.
I feel distressed.......again!"
Very good point - I agree wholeheartedly! It can even be said that it is the brain's chemical states that controls its electrical activity... Thanks!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this