Nov 1, 2022 07:17 PM
https://gizmodo.com/clitoris-10000-nerve...1849724191
EXCERPTS: Here’s a new piece of trivia to toss out at a party sometime: The human clitoris seems to contain more than 10,000 nerve endings. Researchers this month are apparently the first to try counting the precise number of nerve fibers located in the pleasure-giving organ, using tissue samples taken from human volunteers. The findings surpass previous estimates, which were based on studying other animals.
The new research was led by scientists from Oregon Health & Science University. They obtained samples of the clitoris from seven transgender patients who were undergoing a gender-affirming surgery known as a phalloplasty (according to the authors, informed consent was obtained from the patients). The surgery uses tissue from a person’s clitoris and other parts of the body, such as the thigh or arm, along with an implant, to sculpt together a functional penis. As part of the procedure, a small amount of clitoral tissue is removed.
[...] “Over half of the people in the world have a clitoris, yet it is only very recent that the clitoris is getting attention in media and medicine,” said lead author Blair Peters, an assistant professor of surgery and a plastic surgeon at OHSU’s Transgender Health Program, in an email to Gizmodo. “The history of the clitoris itself is filled with misinformation and erasure. The long touted ‘8,000 nerve fibers’ is a prime example of this. This number stood for many years based off of a line written in a book in the 1970s.”
[...] “To improve our understanding of clitoral sexual function and better treat clitoral and vulvar conditions, we need to take down misinformation and invest in the generation of new and accurate knowledge,” Peters said. “Specifically, this data will help inform techniques used for transmasculine people undergoing phalloplasty to best optimize sensation. It will also help improve our understanding of clitoral sexual responses. Notably, there are reports of individuals who have suffered injuries to these nerves in surgery, reflecting the lack of education about the clitoris in medical education.” (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPTS: Here’s a new piece of trivia to toss out at a party sometime: The human clitoris seems to contain more than 10,000 nerve endings. Researchers this month are apparently the first to try counting the precise number of nerve fibers located in the pleasure-giving organ, using tissue samples taken from human volunteers. The findings surpass previous estimates, which were based on studying other animals.
The new research was led by scientists from Oregon Health & Science University. They obtained samples of the clitoris from seven transgender patients who were undergoing a gender-affirming surgery known as a phalloplasty (according to the authors, informed consent was obtained from the patients). The surgery uses tissue from a person’s clitoris and other parts of the body, such as the thigh or arm, along with an implant, to sculpt together a functional penis. As part of the procedure, a small amount of clitoral tissue is removed.
[...] “Over half of the people in the world have a clitoris, yet it is only very recent that the clitoris is getting attention in media and medicine,” said lead author Blair Peters, an assistant professor of surgery and a plastic surgeon at OHSU’s Transgender Health Program, in an email to Gizmodo. “The history of the clitoris itself is filled with misinformation and erasure. The long touted ‘8,000 nerve fibers’ is a prime example of this. This number stood for many years based off of a line written in a book in the 1970s.”
[...] “To improve our understanding of clitoral sexual function and better treat clitoral and vulvar conditions, we need to take down misinformation and invest in the generation of new and accurate knowledge,” Peters said. “Specifically, this data will help inform techniques used for transmasculine people undergoing phalloplasty to best optimize sensation. It will also help improve our understanding of clitoral sexual responses. Notably, there are reports of individuals who have suffered injuries to these nerves in surgery, reflecting the lack of education about the clitoris in medical education.” (MORE - missing details)
