The bottom line is men and women have erogenous zones all over their body. Sex therapist Robyn Salisbury An American surgeon claims to have confirmed the existence of the so-called "G-spot", an elusive female pleasure zone.
Academic disagreement has continued since the 1940s over the existence of a sexually highly sensitive area, with some women swearing they have such a spot.
Now a report in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, published today, claims that an anatomically distinct area has been found that corresponds to the G-spot, named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg.
While examining the anatomy of a deceased 83-year-old, Adam Ostrzenski found a spot measuring 8.1mm by 3.6mm by 1.5mm near the front of the vaginal wall.
"This study confirmed the anatomic existence of the G-spot, which may lead to a better understanding and improvement of female sexual function," Dr Ostrzenski said.
Other doctors suggested greater medical-scientific efforts needed to be made to determine the existence of the G-spot.
"Reports in the public media," the neurologists and urologists wrote, "would lead one to believe the G-spot is a well-characterised entity capable of providing extreme sexual stimulation, yet this is far from the truth".
Objective measures had failed to provide strong, consistent evidence for the existence for the "famed G-spot", they said.
"However, reliable reports and anecdotal testimonials of the existence of a highly sensitive area ... raise the question of whether enough investigative modalities have been implemented in the search for the G-spot."
New Zealand sex therapist and clinical psychologist Robyn Salisbury said yesterday that her clients seldom asked about the G-spot.
"The bottom line is men and women have erogenous zones all over their body.
"Whether the G-spot is supposedly an area a few centimetres into the vagina on the front wall - for most women there are various areas ... that are pleasurable and various areas that aren't.
"It is far more helpful for [couples] to have an individual understanding and attitude of openness and exploration than to wait for any academic to cut up another cadaver."
- staff reporter