Neural underpinnings of prosexual effects induced by gamma-hydroxybutyrate in healthy male humans

In experiment I, prosexual effects of GHB were shown by increased SADI ratings regarding physiological, evaluative, and motivational aspects of sexual arousal. In experiment II, erotic visual stimuli activated the bilateral insula, nucleus accumbens (NAcc), fusiform gyrus, thalamus, and left occipital pole under placebo. After GHB administration, even sexually neutral pictures of persons induced subjective sexual arousal and increased activation of the bilateral NAcc and right anterior cingulate cortex, which significantly correlated (left NAcc by trend). Moreover, a psychophysiological interaction analysis showed that GHB increased connectivity between NAcc and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during processing of visual erotic cues, i.e., in the condition in which subjective sexual arousal was highest. Our data show that GHB stimulates hedonic sexual functioning and lowers the threshold for erotic perception, which is related to increased susceptibility of mesolimbic reward pathways.