Sexologia

FERNANDO J. BIANCO, MD.

BASIC FUNCTIONAL SEXOLOGY A Psychophysiological Approach

SEXOLOGIA FUNCIONAL BASICA Un Enfoque Psico-Fisiológico

SEXOLOGIE BASIQUE FONCTIONNELLE Une Optique Psychophysiologique

CARACAS / 1974

To my Proffesors Max Pepernick. MD Charles Shagass. MD R. B. Sloane. MD Joseph Wotpe. MD To my Resident Mates Robert Chaefsky George Gittens Denis Monjack Savad RazaniRoy Steinhouse

BASIC FUNCTIONAL SEXOLOGY A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIC APPROACH INTRODUCTION The purpose of this work is to present the Basic Functional Sexology, using as a Method the Physiologic foundations and the Experimentally established principles of learning. The conjecture of these two points will allow us to explain the observable sexual Behavior in Human Being, which, without doubt, is theresult of the Interaction of Physiology with Philosophy. We shall establish two basic frames of work: a) The concept of sexual functioning, which implies sexual physiology or how the body functions. b) The concept of sexual Behavior, which implies sexual philosophy, or how behavior should be. Looking at the first basic frame of work: Sexual Functioning, it is known that there is a Physiologicalfact, which enables the Human Being from birth to death, to respond in the presence of a liminal or supraliminal stimulus (1). Lf there is a sexual stimulus, the response will be a sexual one (Fig. N 1).

The stimulus of sexual nature, may come from the opposite sex, such stimulus has a heterosexual source; coming from the same sex, the stimulus has a homosexual source; coming from an animal, thestimulus has a zoophilicE source; coming from a clothes the stimulus has a fetichistic source. etc. But, coming from any source, the stimulus will activate any of the perceptive zones: auditive, visual, tactite, gustative, al factory or psychic; the receptor of these zones will conduct, using the sensitive pathways, to the Rhinencephalon, the stimu lation, which through the motors and autonomiespathways, will express different physiological changes which will constitute the sexual response (2-3-4-5-6). Such response is always the same, in relation to the physio log changes, without taking in consideration the source where the stimulus comes from (Fig. N 2). Therefore, the Human Beirig, has the physiologtcal property to emit a sexual response when a sexual stimulus is present, coming fromany source. This deduction is what 1 have called: Physioiogicai Sexual Variance. The physiological Fact receives the influences of the consti tutional aspect and the social pattem. The constitutional aspect la mainly formed by two factors: The Hormonal and The Genetical.

The Hormonal factor is represented by the androgenic acti vity, which may lead to the development of Heterosexual orHomosexual behavior, due to its action in the critical period of Hypothalamíc growth, as has been shown in experimentation with animals (7-8). The genetic factor has been demostrated, during the study of the concordance rate between monoziggotic and Diziggotics twins, being the rate higher in monoziggotics (910). The social pattern constitutes the philosophical Fact which is the second basic frame ofwork mentioned above. The ethic or tradition, meaning the social habits with which the individual is born and grows up and the modesty, meaning selfshame of oneself constitute: the Philosophical! fact (Fig. N 3). The social pattern shows the Human Being what is permitted or forbidden; what is normal or abnormal; what is accepted or permitted, meaning: “How should the behavior be” or “whichbehavior should one assume”. The Physiological fact point out the Physiological and Physiopathological. Because the Human Being lives with its enviroment, he recei ves the conditioning of the social patterns. Which influence the sexual stimulus-response unit. (Fig. N 4). Observing Figure N 4, the Philosophical Fact could be loca lized in the Cerebral Cortex, while the Physiological Fact at the...