Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption

TY - JOUR

T1 - Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption

T2 - the brain on porn

AU - Kühn, Simone

AU - Gallinat, Jürgen

PY - 2014/7/1

Y1 - 2014/7/1

N2 - IMPORTANCE: Since pornography appeared on the Internet, the accessibility, affordability, and anonymity of consuming visual sexual stimuli have increased and attracted millions of users. Based on the assumption that pornography consumption bears resemblance with reward-seeking behavior, novelty-seeking behavior, and addictive behavior, we hypothesized alterations of the frontostriatal network in frequent users.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether frequent pornography consumption is associated with the frontostriatal network.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In a study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Germany, 64 healthy male adults covering a wide range of pornography consumption reported hours of pornography consumption per week. Pornography consumption was associated with neural structure, task-related activation, and functional resting-state connectivity.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Gray matter volume of the brain was measured by voxel-based morphometry and resting state functional connectivity was measured on 3-T magnetic resonance imaging scans.RESULTS: We found a significant negative association between reported pornography hours per week and gray matter volume in the right caudate (P < .001, corrected for multiple comparisons) as well as with functional activity during a sexual cue-reactivity paradigm in the left putamen (P < .001). Functional connectivity of the right caudate to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was negatively associated with hours of pornography consumption.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The negative association of self-reported pornography consumption with the right striatum (caudate) volume, left striatum (putamen) activation during cue reactivity, and lower functional connectivity of the right caudate to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex could reflect change in neural plasticity as a consequence of an intense stimulation of the reward system, together with a lower top-down modulation of prefrontal cortical areas. Alternatively, it could be a precondition that makes pornography consumption more rewarding.

AB - IMPORTANCE: Since pornography appeared on the Internet, the accessibility, affordability, and anonymity of consuming visual sexual stimuli have increased and attracted millions of users. Based on the assumption that pornography consumption bears resemblance with reward-seeking behavior, novelty-seeking behavior, and addictive behavior, we hypothesized alterations of the frontostriatal network in frequent users.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether frequent pornography consumption is associated with the frontostriatal network.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In a study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Germany, 64 healthy male adults covering a wide range of pornography consumption reported hours of pornography consumption per week. Pornography consumption was associated with neural structure, task-related activation, and functional resting-state connectivity.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Gray matter volume of the brain was measured by voxel-based morphometry and resting state functional connectivity was measured on 3-T magnetic resonance imaging scans.RESULTS: We found a significant negative association between reported pornography hours per week and gray matter volume in the right caudate (P < .001, corrected for multiple comparisons) as well as with functional activity during a sexual cue-reactivity paradigm in the left putamen (P < .001). Functional connectivity of the right caudate to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was negatively associated with hours of pornography consumption.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The negative association of self-reported pornography consumption with the right striatum (caudate) volume, left striatum (putamen) activation during cue reactivity, and lower functional connectivity of the right caudate to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex could reflect change in neural plasticity as a consequence of an intense stimulation of the reward system, together with a lower top-down modulation of prefrontal cortical areas. Alternatively, it could be a precondition that makes pornography consumption more rewarding.

KW - Adult

KW - Caudate Nucleus

KW - Connectome

KW - Erotica

KW - Humans

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Neostriatum

KW - Prefrontal Cortex

KW - Putamen

KW - Reward

KW - Time Factors

U2 - 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93

DO - 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 24871202

VL - 71

SP - 827

EP - 834

JO - JAMA PSYCHIAT

JF - JAMA PSYCHIAT

SN - 2168-622X

IS - 7

ER -