The Fact
Research involving women with complete spinal-cord injury has demonstrated brain activation during vaginal or cervical stimulation and orgasm, supporting the existence of sensory signaling through the vagus nerve that can bypass the spinal cord.
What This Means
Female genital sensation is carried through more than one neurological pathway. The pudendal, pelvic, hypogastric, and vagal systems contribute differently to genital and reproductive sensation.
Sources
- Komisaruk, B.R., Whipple, B., et al. (2004). “Brain activation during vaginally mediated orgasm in women with complete spinal cord injury.” Brain Research, 1024(1–2), 77–88.