Female Sexual Nervous System Tables

Table 1

Body Area	Cranial & Spinal Nerves	Peripheral Nerves	Function
Clitoris	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve Dorsal nerve of clitoris Perineal nerve	Skin on shaft of the clitoris and the surface of the clitoral glans. Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and smooth muscles of skin.
Clitoris	S2, S3, S4	Uterovaginal nerve plexus: Cavernous nerves	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure. May provide an indication of pressure when the erectile structures of the clitoris and vulva are engorged. Controls blood flow to the erectile structures of the clitoris.
Nipple/ Areola	T2, T3, T4, T5 (1)	Intercostal nerves: Anterior and lateral cutaneous (skin) branches	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and involuntary muscles of nipples.
Neck	C2, C3, C4	Great auricular nerve Transverse cervical nerve Supraclavicular nerves Lesser occipital nerve	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Mouth	CN V2	Maxillary Nerve Infraorbital nerve	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and smooth muscles of skin.
Mouth	CN V3	Mandibular Nerve Mental nerve
Vagina	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve Perineal nerve	Outer 1/5 to 1/4 of vagina. Sensitive to touch and temperature. Voluntary control of some pelvic muscles.
Vagina	S2, S3, S4	Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus and Uterovaginal nerve plexus	Inner 4/5 to 3/4 of vagina. Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Inner Labia	(2)
Thighs	L1, L2, L3, L4	Lumbar Plexus: Genitofemoral Obturator Lateral cutaneous nerve Femoral nerve	Skin on front and sides of the thighs. Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and smooth muscles of skin.
Thighs	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh	Skin on back of the thighs. Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and smooth muscles of skin.
Breasts	C3, C4 (1)	Supraclavicular nerves	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. Controls blood vessels, and smooth muscles of skin and nipples
Breasts	T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (1)	Intercostal nerves: Anterior and lateral cutaneous (skin) branches
Outer Labia	L1, L2	Lumbar Plexus: Ilioinguinal nerves Genitofemoral nerves Anterior labial nerves	Front portion of outer labia. Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. The genitofemoral nerve controls the cremaster muscle
Outer Labia	S1, S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh Pudendal nerve Perineal nerve Posterior labial nerves	Back portion of outer labia. Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Pubic Mound	L1, L2	Lumbar Plexus: Ilioinguinal Anterior labial nerves Genitofemoral	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure. The genitofemoral nerve controls the cremaster muscle
Back	C2 - C8, T1 - T12 L1 - L5 S1 - S5	Spinal Nerves	Each spinal nerve supplies a small section of the neck, back, and buttocks. The nerves listed are for the neck, back, and buttocks, as there is no clear demarcation between these areas of the body. These nerves sense pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Hips	T12, L2, L3, L4, L5	Subcostal nerve Iliohypogastric nerve Lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Buttocks	L1, L2, L3 S1, S2, S3	Clunial nerves	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Sides	T1 - T12	Spinal Nerves	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.
Perineum	S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve Perineal nerve	Senses pain, temperature, touch, and pressure.

Notes:

(1) There is significant variability between women, and between the left and right breast on the same woman. Several nerves may form a network under the nipples and areola, but the nerves that form this network vary somewhat from individual to individual. Spinal nerve T4 is the primary nerve supplying the nipple and areola.

(2) No specific information was found describing the nerves of the inner labia but they are likely the same as for the outer portion of vagina.

The following table lists internal organs that may be sensitive to sexual stimulation or that play a role in sexual activities. They are not listed in any particular order. Stimulation of these organs may not result in sexual pleasure and arousal, and a woman may not even be aware of their stimulation on a conscious level, but some women are consciously aware of their stimulation and experience sexual arousal and orgasm when they are. Only trial and error, and context, will determine if they are erogenous zones in the individual.

Table 2

Body Area	Spinal Nerves	Peripheral Nerves	Function
Bladder	T11, T12, L1, L2, L3 S2, S3, S4	Hypogastric Plexus, Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus, Uterovaginal nerve plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Bladder	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve	Voluntary control and somatic sensation.
Urethra (2)	T11, T12, L1, L2, L3 S2, S3, S4	Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus,Uterovaginal nerve plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Urethra (2)	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve	Voluntary control and somatic sensation
Anus	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve Inferior anal nerves	Voluntary control and somatic sensation
Rectum	T12, L1, L2	Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus Uterovaginal nerve plexus Rectal Plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Rectum	S2, S3, S4	Sacral Plexus: Pudendal nerve Inferior anal nerves	Voluntary control and somatic sensation
Cervix	CN X	Vagus nerve	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure. Some women are more sensitive to stimulation of their cervix than others, and cervical stimulation results in orgasm in some.
Cervix	S2, S3, S4	Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus and Uterovaginal plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Uterus	T12, L1, L2 S2, S3, S4	Superior Hypogastic Plexus, Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus, Uterovaginal plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain and pressure.
Female Prostate Gland (1) (2)	T11, T12, L1, L2, L3 S2, S3, S4	Inferior Hypogastric (Pelvic) Plexus, Uterovaginal nerve plexus, Prostatic plexus	Involuntary control and autonomic sensation; i.e. sense pain.

Notes:

(1) Presumed, based on the male prostate gland. Some references say these nerves do not exist in women, but since women have a functional prostate gland this is unlikely to be true.

(2) The female urethra and prostate gland are part of the front wall of the vagina and are not separate and distinct organs. The nerves for these three "organs" may then occupy the same space and result in complex innervation. This may explain why the front wall of the vagina is often the most sensitive portion of the vagina, and be the reason why some women have a G-Spot and others feel a need to urinate when their vagina is stimulated.

Table 3

General Type of Stimulation	Specific Type of Stimulation	Type of Sensory Receptor	Rapidly Adaptive?	Threshold	Examples of Locations on the Body
Touch	Change in Touch: stroking and fluttering	Meissner Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Primarily in hairless skin: Concentrated in fingertips and palms, eyelids, tip of the tongue, lips, face, nipples, soles of feet, clitoris, and tip of penis, but located throughout the body.
	Movement of Hair	Hair Root Plexuses	Yes	Low	Hairy skin: any skin surface with hair, like the outer labia and pubic mound
	Constant Touch: pressure and texture	Merkel Disks	No	Low	Skin and mucous membranes: fingertips, hands, lips, external genitals
	Stretching of Skin	Ruffini Corpuscles	No	Low	Hands and soles of feet

Pressure
	Change in Pressure	Meissner Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Primarily in hairless skin: Concentrated in fingertips and palms, eyelids, tip of the tongue, lips, face, nipples, soles of feet, clitoris, and tip of penis, but located throughout the body.
	Constant Pressure	Merkel Disks	No	Low	Skin and mucous membranes: fingertips, hands, lips, external genitals
	Change in Deep Pressure	Lamellated Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Under mucous membranes, like those of the vulva, and in the glandular tissues of the breasts.

Vibration	5-15 hertz	Merkel Disks	No	Low	Skin and mucous membranes: fingertips, hands, lips, external genitals
	20-50 hertz	Meissner Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Primarily in hairless skin: Concentrated in fingertips and palms, eyelids, tip of the tongue, lips, face, nipples, soles of feet, clitoris, and tip of penis, but located throughout the body.
	60-400 hertz*	Lamellated Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Under mucous membranes, like those of the vulva, and in the glandular tissues of the breasts.

Itch		Free Nerve Endings	No	High	Caused by stimulation of free nerve endings by chemicals resulting from local irritation, i.e. injury or infection.

Tickle		Free Nerve Endings	No	High	Everywhere but the brain.
Tickle		Lamellated Corpuscles	Yes	Low	Under mucous membranes, like those of the vulva, and in the glandular tissues of the breasts.

Pain		Free Nerve Endings	No	High	Everywhere but the brain.

Temperature	Cold 50-105 °F 10-40 °C Peak 81°F/27°C	Krause Bulbs	Yes**		The density of skin thermoreceptors is greatest in the face and ears. In all areas of the body the density of cold receptors is greater than that of warm receptors.
	Warm 90-118 °F 32-48 °C Peak 113°F/45°C	Ruffini Corpuscles	Yes**		The density of skin thermoreceptors is greatest in the face and ears. In all areas of the body the density of cold receptors is greater than that of warm receptors.
	Extremes	Less than 50 °F and greater than 118 °F	No		Sensed by pain receptors, i.e. free nerve endings

* Humans are most sensitive to vibrations of around 200-250 hertz, cycles per second.

** They respond to a change in temperature with an initial increase in the number of messengers they send out, which then declines to a steady-state level that is maintained as long as the change in temperature is maintained.

* 104° F or 40° C is the recommended maximum bathing temperature for young children.
* 122° F or 50° C is a low risk temperature for a hot water burn.
* 131° F or 55° or 140° F or 60° C is a high risk temperature for a hot water burn.