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I have now found a plausible explanation for asexuality.


R_1

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Look into this study and scroll down to page 3- http://www.psych.utah.edu/people/files/diamond54a6.pdf

To explain asexuality, one could say that the some of the hypothamalic function and the ventral striatum activity are constantly low to the point where sexual attraction won't exist. This mean any conditions that leads to this leads to asexuality which can also include genetic conditions. Brain plascity leading to the low activity of the hypothamalic function and ventral function could explain sexual to asexual fluid sexuality.

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Arctic Fox

Look into this study and scroll down to page 3- http://www.psych.utah.edu/people/files/diamond54a6.pdf

To explain asexuality, one could say that the some of the hypothamalic function and the ventral striatum activity are constantly low to the point where sexual attraction won't exist. This mean any conditions that leads to this leads to asexuality which can also include genetic conditions. Brain plascity leading to the low activity of the hypothamalic function and ventral function could explain sexual to asexual fluid sexuality.

Mystery solved!! :D Have an unprecedented amount of cake: :cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake:

We need to change the definition right away! Here's a mockup I've created:

Hypothamalic%20Function%20And%20Ventral%

What do you all think?

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I almost like the simpler definition for the banner - this one is very scientific and difficult to understand at first, but I do think it needs to be in the definitions page and the FAQs.

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alpacaterpillar

Mystery solved!! :D Have an unprecedented amount of cake: :cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake:

We need to change the definition right away, here's a mockup I've created:

Hypothamalic%20Function%20And%20Ventral%

What do you all think?

I almost like the simpler definition for the banner - this one is very scientific and difficult to understand at first, but I do think it needs to be in the definitions page and the FAQs.

I think Arctic Fox is being sarcastic :P We should have it on April Fools day or something.

Only thing I don't like is that people might start claiming this is evidence asexuality is a disorder or something.

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Moved to Asexual Musings and Rantings.

Lia

Asexual Q&A Mod

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Just because we know what causes it doesn't mean it has to be "fixed". We now know what causes eye color and we can change it, but that doesn't mean we should start forcing everyone to change their eyes to blue (yeah, aparently everyone's eyes are blue, but there is stuff on top of it that makes other colors so if you scrape it off you get the blue base color)

If anything, it's like "see, I'm not fucking making this up, now leave me alone kthnx". However I find it hard to believe that is the cause of EVERYONE'S asexuality. I do believe sexual orientation can be a fluid thing and there can be other causes. I mean what if someone doesn't have this condition and they still indentify as asexual? Are they lying or confused?

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Just because we know what causes it doesn't mean it has to be "fixed". We now know what causes eye color and we can change it, but that doesn't mean we should start forcing everyone to change their eyes to blue (yeah, aparently everyone's eyes are blue, but there is stuff on top of it that makes other colors so if you scrape it off you get the blue base color)

If anything, it's like "see, I'm not fucking making this up, now leave me alone kthnx". However I find it hard to believe that is the cause of EVERYONE'S asexuality. I do believe sexual orientation can be a fluid thing and there can be other causes. I mean what if someone doesn't have this condition and they still indentify as asexual? Are they lying or confused?

There might be other factors in the brain and outside of it, but the thing about neurobiological explanation to sexuality is that it leaves room for fluidity of sexuality as brain changes do occur and the born this way as in genetic cause of the brain setup. This is why I'm gonna stick with neurobiological theories of sexuality.

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Oh, so this means asexuality might be real, and not in our imagination after all... ? (sarcasm)

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Arctic, your image reeks genius from a distance. :P

Anyway, I won't say it's entirely impossible as a hypothesis, just that right now, we don't really have enough scientific evidence to say asexuality is due to X or Y and Z.

But I totally want that header to appear on the front page on April Fools now

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Just because we know what causes it doesn't mean it has to be "fixed". We now know what causes eye color and we can change it, but that doesn't mean we should start forcing everyone to change their eyes to blue (yeah, aparently everyone's eyes are blue, but there is stuff on top of it that makes other colors so if you scrape it off you get the blue base color)

If anything, it's like "see, I'm not fucking making this up, now leave me alone kthnx". However I find it hard to believe that is the cause of EVERYONE'S asexuality. I do believe sexual orientation can be a fluid thing and there can be other causes. I mean what if someone doesn't have this condition and they still indentify as asexual? Are they lying or confused?

About that eye thing, you'd also fuck up your eyes in the process making it more photosensitive I believe

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Janus the Fox

Um... No, it is one scientific report on one suppose cause, this will not mean it is the same for anyone, just be careful posting medical causes it can cause unnecessary grief. Plus try not to conclude a cause without being in that medical profession. The study is only an attempt to map neurological pathways between love, sex and desire and concludes further study is needed.

Conclusion

Questions about the basic linkage between romantic love and sexual desire have long been debated by psychologists and philosophers: Neuroimaging research has the potential to significantly advance the sophistication of this debate, expanding the questions we can ask and offering provocative new answers. Although neuroimaging research obviously has well- documented methodological and logistical limitations (Aron 2006, Fonteille & Stoleru 2010, Maravilla & Yang 2008, Ortigue et al. 2007, Ortigue et al. 2010), thoughtful and creative experimental designs are likely to make critical contributions to our understanding of the complex chain of neurobiologically-mediated processes through which we become attracted to, fall passionately in love with, and sexually desire romantic partners. Although previous neuroimaging research has not focused specifically on the phenomena of sexual orientation, this represents one of the most exciting and promising areas for future research, with the potential to further deepen our understanding of the basic human capacity for love and desire.

Excellent Photoshop non that banner right there... :D, I would like to see a series of these on past, present and future fan definitions, make a great fun thread indeed :)

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Just because we know what causes it doesn't mean it has to be "fixed". We now know what causes eye color and we can change it, but that doesn't mean we should start forcing everyone to change their eyes to blue (yeah, aparently everyone's eyes are blue, but there is stuff on top of it that makes other colors so if you scrape it off you get the blue base color)

If anything, it's like "see, I'm not fucking making this up, now leave me alone kthnx". However I find it hard to believe that is the cause of EVERYONE'S asexuality. I do believe sexual orientation can be a fluid thing and there can be other causes. I mean what if someone doesn't have this condition and they still indentify as asexual? Are they lying or confused?

About that eye thing, you'd also fuck up your eyes in the process making it more photosensitive I believe

Well I guess that just carries on the analogy. If that is how our head works, and we seem to be fine with it, then there really is no reason to start messing around with it. Fucking around with people's chemical balances even when there is a legitimate issue causes all sorts of issues, ask anyone who has to be on anti-depressants. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

This makes me feel worthless and diseased. Thanks.

No no no! Why on earth would you think that!?! News flash, not everyone's brains work the same way to begin with. Different does not mean wrong. All Reptilian was trying to say was that there may be a tangible difference between asexuals and sexuals, not that there was anything wrong with asexuals' brains.

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This makes me feel worthless and diseased. Thanks.

I had this same initial response. While I know this is not the case and I would never want to limit a debate based on science, you should really read the full study before posting

EDIT: i would like to add a footnote here: when i made this statement, i had been off of my meds for around a week. i suffer from dysthymia and now that i am back on them, i would like to say that this news actually kinda pleasing. it sorta eliminates a lot of arguments calling asexuality fake

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sanremi52890

Guys chill out. This is a interesting topic, even if not particularly relevant to anything...(i.e... we don't need a "reason" for asexuality to exist, it just does.)

But just because your brain works differently does NOT mean you should feel "worthless and diseased". You shouldn't apply those words to anything having to do with different brain structures. Differences in how brains work are what cause mentall illness, learning disabilities, personality differences, personality disorders, etc, etc, etc... Do you think everyone with a mental illness, learning disability, or personality disorder should feel "worthless and diseased"? People are so touchy when you talk about brain differences. But the truth is, they're not any different from body differences. The brain is just another part of your body.

I'm perfectly okay with the fact that my asexuality may be caused by a difference in my brain. There are a LOT of differences in my brain, hahaha.

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Guys chill out. This is a interesting topic, even if not particularly relevant to anything...(i.e... we don't need a "reason" for asexuality to exist, it just does.)

But just because your brain works differently does NOT mean you should feel "worthless and diseased". You shouldn't apply those words to anything having to do with different brain structures. Differences in how brains work are what cause mentall illness, learning disabilities, personality differences, personality disorders, etc, etc, etc... Do you think everyone with a mental illness, learning disability, or personality disorder should feel "worthless and diseased"? People are so touchy when you talk about brain differences. But the truth is, they're not any different from body differences. The brain is just another part of your body.

I'm perfectly okay with the fact that my asexuality may be caused by a difference in my brain. There are a LOT of differences in my brain, hahaha.

I second that. There is no reason to feel threatened by this. If anything this shows how much we still don't know about our own brains, which is great if you like neuroscience, not so great if you like things to be simple :p

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Right, I've actually read the study now, and it really isn't pathologizing asexuality, if that's what people are worried about. It just says that there are two regions of the brain that are activated by sexual attraction.

Despite being lengthy, it actually contains some interesting stuff (particularly in the left-hand column):

  • There are neurological differences between love and sexual desire.
  • It looks like there may also be different types of sexual desire.
  • Physiological arousal often differs from subjective arousal.
  • Women tend to be physiologically aroused by porn irrespective of the gender of the actors.
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  • There are neurological differences between love and sexual desire.
  • It looks like there may also be different types of sexual desire.
  • Physiological arousal often differs from subjective arousal.
  • Women tend to be physiologically aroused by porn irrespective of the gender of the actors.

Wasn't that already known, though, except for the bolded part? Also, the fourth one works for men as well - they can be aroused by gay porn even if they're straight.

(Not that I really ever considered the study bad or anything, of course)

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This makes me feel worthless and diseased. Thanks.

No, no no!!!! Please, for the love of cake don't ever think that of yourself just because you are different!

In a simular study they found brain structure differences between people who were straight and homosexual, but that does not mean that either of those groups are 'diseased'! The human species is just full of different people and thus different brain structures because of said differences.

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crime_fighting_kitten

I have a genetic condition that makes me think "Hmmmm" in a sort of interested manner about that study buuuuuut it doesn't change anything for me and I wouldn't go get fixed, even if I could. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, I don't long to have the desires other people do. All the same, interesting study.

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I have found something you might find interesting:

Amygdala: Involved in signaling the cortex of motivationally significant stimuli such as those related to reward and fear in addition to social functions

such as mating.

conclusions, there is a possible edit to the information in our amygdalas. I was searching the limbic system because I knew it was involved in emotions but when I found this then I was pleased. So my hypothesis is that there may be a differentiation between our amygdalas and a sexually orientated one... but this is somewhat nice.

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  • There are neurological differences between love and sexual desire.
  • It looks like there may also be different types of sexual desire.
  • Physiological arousal often differs from subjective arousal.
  • Women tend to be physiologically aroused by porn irrespective of the gender of the actors.

Wasn't that already known, though, except for the bolded part? Also, the fourth one works for men as well - they can be aroused by gay porn even if they're straight.

(Not that I really ever considered the study bad or anything, of course)

They were all known previously except for the 2nd point, but they were news to me as I'm not as familiar with neuroscience as some people are. As for the 4th point, what the study says is that women are physiologically aroused almost equally by male and female porn, whereas men are generally only physiologically aroused by the gender they're attracted to.
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