Neural correlates of sexual cue reactivity in individuals with and without compulsive sexual behaviours
- Authors
- Voon, V., Mole, T. B., Banca, P., Porter, L., Morris, L., Mitchell, S., Lapa, T. R., Karr, J., Harrison, N. A., Potenza, M. N., & Irvine, M.
- Year
- 2014
- Journal
- PLoS ONE
- Type
- Cross-sectional study
- Last verified
- 2026-10-04
Main question
Do people with compulsive sexual behaviour show heightened brain response to sexual cues?
Summary
Voon and colleagues (2014) used functional MRI to compare brain responses to sexual cues in people with and without compulsive sexual behaviours. The compulsive-behaviour group showed heightened activity in regions linked to reward anticipation and craving.
Why it matters
This is one of the foundational studies on neural cue reactivity and is frequently cited in discussions of craving and the reward system. Its small size and cross-sectional design mean it suggests — but does not prove — that these brain differences are causally linked to the behaviour.
Findings
- Compared with controls, individuals with compulsive sexual behaviours showed greater brain activity in regions associated with reward anticipation and craving (including dorsal anterior cingulate, ventral striatum, and amygdala) in response to sexual cues.
- Findings are consistent with incentive-salience models, in which 'wanting' is amplified relative to 'liking'.
Limitations
- Small sample size.
- Cross-sectional design; cannot establish causation.
- Findings may not generalize beyond the studied population.
- verification needed (DOI/PMID not recorded)
Clinical relevance
Provides neural evidence consistent with amplified "wanting".
Relevance to problematic pornography use
A foundational cue-reactivity study frequently cited for PPU.