In simple terms, an orgasm is the body’s physiological response to sexual stimulation. The climactic response is prompted by the release of the neurohormones oxytocin and vasopressin (we’ll talk more about these later). Brain scans have shown that, during orgasm, metabolic activity in the cerebral cortex decreases while activity in the limbic areas of the brain increases. The cerebral cortex governs the conscious layers of the brain, playing a role in attention, awareness, thought process and memory.