A current understanding of the behavioral neuroscience of compulsive sexual behavior disorder and problematic pornography use
- Authors
- Stark, R., Klucken, T., Potenza, M. N., Brand, M., & Strahler, J.
- Year
- 2018
- Journal
- Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports
- Type
- Conceptual / review paper
- Last verified
- 2026-10-04
Main question
What does behavioural neuroscience currently establish about CSBD/PPU?
Related claims
Summary
Stark and colleagues (2018) reviewed the behavioural neuroscience of CSBD and problematic pornography use. The review concludes that research points toward altered reward processing and cue reactivity in affected individuals, but emphasizes the heterogeneity and incompleteness of the evidence.
Why it matters
This review is a useful, cautious summary of the neuroscience of compulsive sexual behaviour, and it explicitly resists overclaiming. It frames what the brain-imaging literature can and cannot currently say.
Findings
- Summarizes neuroimaging and psychological findings on CSBD and problematic pornography use.
- Concludes that findings point toward altered reward processing and cue reactivity in affected individuals, but that the evidence base is heterogeneous and incomplete.
Limitations
- Narrative review; no quantitative synthesis of findings.
- verification needed (DOI/PMID not recorded)
Clinical relevance
Summarizes the evidence cautiously, resisting overclaiming.
Relevance to problematic pornography use
Sets the honest current state of the neuroscience.