Physiology of an Erection: The Brain-Penis Connection

By John Dugan

It's kind of amazing how body parts that are nowhere near the penis can play an important role in the physiology of an erection. For example, an erect penis doesn't come about simply because an attractive person strokes it (although that also is part of the process). Instead, a tiny little organ called the hypothalamus can play a big part in turning a soft member into a healthily erect penis at the appropriate time.

A brain part

The hypothalamus is a small part of the brain that plays a big role. It's only about as big as a pearl, but as men should know by now, size isn't everything. It's located beneath a larger section of the brain known as the thalamus, and just a little above the pituitary gland. It does a lot of communicating with the pituitary glands, acting as a kind of gatekeeper that tells the pituitary when to release certain hormones and how much of them to release. For example, when stress levels are high, it tells the pituitary to get busy and help decrease the stress.

This little guy also plays a role in controlling hunger, sleep patterns, fatigue, temperature and circadian rhythms.

And, as stated before, it also has an effect on the penis.

The erect penis connection

There are many neurons in the hypothalamus. Some of these connect to other parts of the body, including the hippocampus and the medulla oblongata (two other regions of the brain) and the spinal cord. Sometimes, these neurons come in contact with something called dopamine, which is a chemical popularly associated with pleasure.

When the dopamine hits these neurons, they send a message to these other body parts. When the dopamine has been released because of some signal which is sexual in nature, the hypothalamus uses these other body parts, including the spinal column, to communicate with the penis. His message is usually pretty clear: "Wake up! There's some action going on here that you don't want to miss out on!"" And that sets in motion the various other factors that are needed to bring about an erect penis - and the fun that can result from that state.

The hypothalamus also plays other important roles in erect penis matters., For example, it helps control the release of what is called gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which is used during puberty to bring about sexual maturation.

Hypothalamus problems

So if a man has problems with his hypothalamus, it can cause some issues with penile function. Fortunately, hypothalamus disorders are not extremely common. Most of the time, they come about from a traumatic brain injury.

But sometimes, the hypothalamus may be damaged in other ways. For example, malnutrition over an extended period of time can damage the organ, as can exposure to radiation or the presence of a tumor in the area.

Identifying a hypothalamus disorder can be challenging (in the absence of an obvious brain injury), so diagnosis may take some extended time. Although problems in obtaining an erect penis can be a sign, erectile dysfunction can also be a sign of many other conditions.

The hypothalamus definitely plays a role in successfully achieving an erect penis. Beyond its erect-ability, the penis is also judged by its overall health, so daily application of a first rate    penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) is urged. The best cremes contains both L-arginine and L-carnitine. The former is an amino acid which helps produce nitric oxide; this in turn helps penile blood vessels expand to accommodate increased blood flow. The latter is a neuroprotective ingredient which can help maintain penis sensation in the face of rough, aggressive use.

Visit www.menshealthfirst.com for more information about treating common penis health problems, including soreness, redness and loss of penis sensation. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous online web sites.