Stanford Medicine scientists locate key brain circuit containing the seat of male libido

Wu Tsai Neuro interdisciplinary scholar Renzhi Yang and colleagues in the lab of institute affiliate Nirao Shah have found that a particular neuronal circuit in male mice is responsible for sexual arousal and for the actions and pleasure that ensue.

male mouse's brain
In this image of a male mouse's brain, pink denotes the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST); green, the preoptic hypothalamus. The impulse flows from pink to green in the neural circuit governing mating drive, behavior and satisfaction. Photo by Daniel Bayless.