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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

How sexual touch triggers pleasant sensations in mice

Stimulation of certain neurons triggers activity in the brain’s reward centre.
Mouse neurons which are red and blue in colour

Receptors in the skin send messages through nerve branches (red) that connect to a brain region (blue) associated with pleasure. Credit: Abdus-Saboor Lab/Zuckerman Institute

The sensation of a gentle touch can make mice happier and more sexually receptive, thanks to skin neurons that are sensitive to touch and activate a reward pathway in the brain1.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00134-w

References

  1. Elias, L. J. et al. Cell https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.034 (2023).

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