Laser Doppler Imaging as a Measure of Female Sexual Arousal: Further Validation and Methodological Considerations

Abstract

Laser Doppler imaging has recently been applied to the study of female sexual response, with promising results. The current study sought to provide further validation for its use in this capacity, as well as to examine the sexual psychophysiological concepts of genital non-response and return to baseline with this instrument. A sample of healthy heterosexual women without any sexual concerns (N = 24) participated in a single testing session design, which included self-report measures and genital imaging with the laser Doppler imager (LDI). During the imaging portion of the study, genital and subjective arousal data were collected while participants watched neutral and erotic film stimuli. The results support the validity of the LDI as a measure of female sexual arousal, and highlight its potential utility in research and clinical applications for sexual function and related difficulties.