Visual Erotica, EMG, and Sexual Psychophysiological Arousal (VESPA) (VESPA)

This study will examine whether measurement of pelvic floor muscle sEMG activity is responsive to explicit sexual stimuli, and whether it correlates with self-reports of sexual arousal in healthy women. Participants' vaginal, labial and anal sEMG readings will be monitored during exposure to neutral, erotic and anxiety-provoking films. Participants will also be required to provide subjective ratings of sexual arousal before and after each film. If pelvic floor sEMG is validated as a psychophysiological measure, these findings may have important clinical and research implications by providing a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in sexual arousal and for providing a relatively easy method of assessing sexual arousal in a clinical or research setting.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sexual Arousal

Detailed Description

HYPOTHESES:

1. Investigators hypothesize that, relative to the neutral films, PFM EMG activity will significantly increase in response to the erotic film as measured by the labial, anal, and vaginal EMG probes.
2. Investigators hypothesize that, relative to the anxiety-provoking film, PFM EMG activity will significantly increase in response to the erotic film as measured by the labial, anal, and vaginal EMG probes.
3. Investigators hypothesize that continuously measured subjective sexual arousal (via the arousometer) will correlate significantly with PFM EMG activity during the erotic film.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 15

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9
      • Department of Gynaecology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 15 years to 41 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy females.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be female, between the ages of 19-45
• Must be premenopausal
• Must be previously sexually active
• Must be fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lack of fluency in English
• Not female between the ages of 19-45
• Not previously sexually active
• Any previous deliveries, either vaginal or by c-section
• Any sexual arousal disorder
• Any genital pain or pelvic pain disorders
• Any bowel or bladder syndromes (e.g. interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel disease, Chron's disease)
• Any urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse
• Undergone medically induced menopause
• Undergone total or partial hysterectomy
• Undergone surgery for incontinence or prolapse
• Using estrogen suppression medication

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Other
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
No treatment; This is an observational study. Women in this study are not receiving any treatments.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pelvic floor muscle sEMG activity	Changes in pelvic floor muscle activity in responsive to exposure to explicit sexual stimuli will be assessed using pelvic floor surface electromyography (sEMG).	This study involves 1 testing session approximately 20 minutes in duration

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sexual Arousal	Self-report sexual arousal will be measured with the Sexual Arousability Inventory (SAI ; Hoon, Hoon, & Wincze, 1976)	This study involves 1 testing session approximately 20 minutes in duration
Sexual Function	Self-reported sexual function will be measured using the Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000) and the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI; Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1979).	This study involves 1 testing session approximately 20 minutes in duration

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Lori A. Brotto, PhD, University of British Columbia

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• UBC Sexual Health Lab Website

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): October 4, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 1, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 30, 2017
• Last Verified: May 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: sexual arousal; pelvic floor sEMG
• Other Study ID Numbers: H12-01852