Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T04:40:46.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 9 - Erection, emission, and ejaculation:

mechanisms of control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2010

Larry I. Lipshultz
Affiliation:
Baylor College of Medicine
Stuart S. Howards
Affiliation:
University of Virginia
Craig S. Niederberger
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Chicago
Get access

Summary

The neurophysiological control of the erectile process is under the influence of central and peripheral processes. At least three kinds of erection can be distinguished in man: central, reflexogenic, and nocturnal types. Emission, as the first phase of ejaculation, is a sympathetic spinal cord reflex. The spermatozoa undergo final maturation in the epididymis and are stored there prior to ejaculation. The autonomic nervous system plays a key role in the efferent pathway of the ejaculatory reflex. The spinal network plays a significant role in processing and directing afferent and efferent information in the ejaculatory process. The ejaculatory-related cerebral network includes the medial preoptic area (MPOA), the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), the nucleus paragigantocellularis (nPGi), the posterodorsal medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeApd), and the parvocellular subparafascicular thalamic nucleus (SPFp). An improved understanding of the complex influences on ejaculation may open new therapeutic strategies for ejaculatory disorders.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×