Forget the glans: there’s a (old) new leader in penile pleasure who’s been ignored by medicine all these years. New investigation is from the University of Santiago de Compostela.
For a long time, both anatomy books and many sexuality guides identified the glans — the rounded end of the penis — as the main male erogenous zone. But there is a more sensitive area in the male sexual organ.
A neuroanatomical described as the most detailed ever carried out on the penis identified an area until now largely neglected by medicine as the main center of male sexual sensitivity.
The region, known as “frenular delta”, will have the highest concentration of nerve endings and specialized sensory structures throughout the organ, leading some experts to classify it as the male equivalent of the so-called “G-spot”.
The research led by Alfonso Cepeda-Emilianifrom the University of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, and scientifically reinforces something that many men already recognized, from their own experience: the area located on the ventral surface (lower part) of the penis, where the glans meets the body of the organ.
According to the authors, cited by , the frenular delta has been systematically ignored in anatomy manuals and surgical training, despite its importance.
But how did the team discover this? He analyzed 14 cadaver penises from donors who died between the ages of 45 and 96.
The researchers cut the tissue into extremely thin sections (just a few micrometers thick) and applied dyes to highlight nerves. The samples were then observed under a microscope — a detailed mapping of the region’s nerve networks.
The researchers also discovered that this zone contains the highest concentration of sensory corpuscles, specialized tactile receptors formed by bundles of nerve endings. In the frenular delta, these corpuscles appear grouped in sets of up to 17, while in the glans they appear in a more isolated and dispersed form.
Among them are the Krause corpusclespreviously associated with the detection of small vibrations generated by skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, and which are believed to contribute to pleasure.
The term “frenular delta” was proposed in 2001 by Ken McGrath, in New Zealand. The designation refers to the triangular shape of this area, located between the V-shaped “wings” of the glans, at the bottom of the penis. At the apex of this structure is the frenulumthe small bridge of skin that connects the foreskin to the penis.
McGrath was also the first to compare it to the male “G-spot,” although the phrase never truly entered the mainstream medical vocabulary.
Eric Chung, from the University of Queensland, Australia, and president-elect of the International Society for Sexual Medicine, who was not involved in the study, considers that the results provide a scientific basis for this comparison. From his perspective, it is one of the most pleasurable areas for male sexual stimulation.
Revolution in circumcision?
The findings may have practical implications, especially in the context of circumcision.
The authors warn that some surgical procedures involve incisions precisely in this nerve-rich region, to remove the foreskin. If the cuts are deep and involve the complete removal of the frenulum, this could damage the complex nerve network of the frenular delta and reduce sexual sensitivity.
Techniques that preserve part or all of the frenulum may limit this impact.
Doctor Kesley Pedler, from the Port Macquarie Base Hospital, in Australia, confesses to having learned nothing about the frenular delta and its specific anatomy during surgical training. He also explains to the renowned magazine that he only performs circumcisions when there is a medical indication, such as in cases where the foreskin is too tight, and that this new conclusion is proof that the operation should really be reserved for strictly necessary situations.
The possible effect of circumcision on sexual sensitivity remains a matter of debate. For example, a large one carried out in Belgium concluded that uncircumcised men reported greater sexual pleasure with frenular delta stimulation than circumcised men. But on the other hand, an American found no differences on the quality of orgasm between circumcised and uncircumcised men: the circumcised penis can compensate for any nervous changes in this area.
Cepeda-Emiliani’s team is now developing a similar study, with in-depth analysis of cadaver vaginas and clitoris, in an attempt to better clarify the anatomical basis of female sexual pleasure, as their G-spot also continues to be questioned.
