EFEITOS NEUROPSICOLÓGICOS DECORRENTES DO CONSUMO DE MATERIAL PORNOGRÁFICO: Pornografia e Neurociências

Cândida Alves; Lucas José Rodrigues Costa; Fernando Hyerro de Lima Ferreira

doi:10.36489/saudecoletiva.2026v17i106p19750-19765

Authors

Cândida Alves Pós Doutora em Saúde Mental pela Universidade Católica de Brasília; Docente do CARE/ Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6161-2938
Lucas José Rodrigues Costa Bacharel em Enfermagem pela Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA); Graduando em Psicologia pelo Centro Universitário de Balsas (UniBalsas) https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8444-3724
Fernando Hyerro de Lima Ferreira Graduando em Psicologia pelo Centro Universitário de Balsas (UniBalsas) https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2685-3484

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36489/saudecoletiva.2026v17i106p19750-19765

Keywords:

Comportamento, Ajustamento Emocional, Processos Mentais, Função Executiva, Motivação

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the neuropsychological effects resulting from the act of consuming pornographic material. Method: This is an integrative literature review with narrative synthesis, carried out in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases, from 2018 to 2024. Twenty-eight qualitative articles were selected and analyzed. Result: Problematic consumption is associated with alterations in the brain reward system similar to chemical dependency. Reductions in gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, cognitive rigidity, working memory failures, and impulsivity were identified. Increased aggression, sexual dysfunctions, emotional disconnection, and social isolation were also observed. Conclusion: Excessive exposure to pornographic content generates significant neurobiological and psychosocial impairments, highlighting the need for further studies for diagnostic standardization and the development of effective clinical interventions.

References

União Internacional de Telecomunicações (UIT). Facts and Figures 2022: The gender digital divide [Internet]. Geneva: ITU; 2022.

Ferreira R, Santos M. Dos efeitos à constatação dos usos da pornografia pela audiência. Rev Bras Ciênc Comum. 2023;46:e2023102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-58442023102pt

Baumel C, Silva P, Guerra V, Garcia A, Trindade Z. Atitudes de Jovens frente à Pornografia e suas Consequências. Psico-USF. 2019;24(1):131-144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712019240111

Sniewski L, Farvid P, Carter P. The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review. Addict Behav. 2018;77:217-224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.010

Alarcón R, Iglesia J, Casado N, Montejo A. Online Porn Addiction: What We Know and What We Don’t—A Systematic Review. J Clin Med. 2019;8(1):91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8010091

American Psychiatric Association. Manual diagnóstico e estatístico de transtornos mentais: DSM-5-TR. 5. ed. rev. Porto Alegre: Artmed; 2023.

Cruz C, Fernandes E, Pfeilsticker F. A relação entre o uso do celular e a exposição precoce à pornografia: uma revisão integrativa de literatura. Peer Review. 2024;6(2):156–168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53660/PRW-1745-3402

Silva AFC, Estorque ADS, Evangelista FV. Disfunção erétil em jovens causada por pornografia. Rev Bras Rev Saúde. 2023;6(1):2351–2367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34119/bjhrv6n1-184

Araújo A, Nunes M, Torres, Santos P. A influência do uso da pornografia virtual no desempenho sexual e na vinculação afetiva. Rev Ibero-Am Humanid Cienc Educ. 2023;9(9):4647-4655. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51891/rease.v9i9.11678

Organização Mundial da Saúde. Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde (CID-11) [Internet]. 2022.

Antons S, Matthias B. Inhibitory control and problematic Internet pornography use – The important balancing role of the insula. J Behav Addict. 2020;9(1):58-70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00010

Chen L, Jiang X. The Assessment of Problematic Internet Pornography Use: A Comparison of Three Scales with Mixed Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(2):488. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020488

Stark R, Klucken T, Potenza M, Brand M, Strahler J. A Current Understanding of the Behavioral Neuroscience of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2018;5:218-231. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-018-0162-9

Liberg B, Görts-Öberg K, Jokinen J, Savard J, Dhejne C, Arver S, et al. Neural and behavioral correlates of sexual stimuli anticipation point to addiction-like mechanisms in compulsive sexual behavior disorder. J Behav Addict. 2022;11(2):520-532. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00035

Bothe B, Tóth-Király I, Potenza M, Orosz G, Demetrovics Z. High-Frequency Pornography Use May Not Always Be Problematic. J Sex Med. 2020;17(4):793–811. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.01.007

Muller K. Pornography’s Effect on the Brain: A Review of Modifications in the Prefrontal Cortex. Intuition. 2018;13(2):2.

Moraes F, Nobusa T, Lima D, Sousa J. Neurobiology of the Cerebral Reward System. Cad Bras Med. 2022;35(1-4):52-58.

Myles D, Carter A, Yucel A, Bode S. Losses disguised as wins evoke the reward positivity event-related potential in a simulated machine gambling task. Psychophysiology. 2024;61(6):e14541. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14541

Rodrigues F. Relação entre a fadiga, dependência de dopamina com as disfunções neuronais. Braz J Dev. 2020;6(11):85183-85194. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv6n11-075

Kowalewska E, Grubbs JB, Potenza MN, Gola M, Draps M, Kraus SW. Neurocognitive Mechanisms in Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder. Curr Sex Health Rep. 2018;10:255-264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-018-0176-z

Salehinejad M, Granavati E, Rashid M, Nitsche M. Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2021;5:1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23982128211007769

Balconi M, Angioletti L. Two sides of the same medal? Reward mechanisms between motivational drives and psychopathology. Mediterr J Clin Psychol. 2022;10(1).

Pace-Schott EF, Amole MC, Que T, Balconi M, Bylsma LM, Critchley H, et al. Physiological feelings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;103:267-304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.002

Golec K, Draps M, Stark R, Pluta A, Gola M. Aberrant orbitofrontal cortex reactivity to erotic cues in Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder. J Behav Addict. 2021;10(3):646-656. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2021.00051

Assis D. O impacto da pornografia online na saúde dos adolescentes. Res Soc Dev. 2024;13(6):e7013646037. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v13i6.46037

Bomfim A, Costa L, Oliveira A. Impactos neuropsicológicos decorrentes do uso de substâncias psicoativas. Rev Cient Fac Balsas. 2022;13(1):73-83.

Privara M, Bob P. Pornography Consumption and Cognitive-Affective Distress. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2023;211(8):641-646. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001669

Baggio A, Almeida G, Rosseto P. Uso compulsivo de pornografia e seus impactos negativos. An Enic. 2023;20.

Jhe G, Addison J, Lin J, Pluhar E. Pornography use among adolescents and the role of primary care. Fam Med Com Health. 2023;11(1):e001776. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2022-001776

Stark R, Markert C, Kruse O, Walter B, Strahler J, Klein S. Individual cortisol response to acute stress influences neural processing of sexual cues. J Behav Addict. 2022;11(2):506-519. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00037