Foreskin :: Prepuce :: Ridged Band

November 2006

Here I summarize some of the Web site surveys of ridged band and glans functions. Like all reasonable theories, ours is a series of verifiable observations that seem to lead in one direction. What we think is that the penis works as a unit, rather than as a collection of separate parts. We are specially interested in interactions between the prepuce, glans, shaft skin and deeper parts of the penis. To compensate in small part for lack of scientific rigour, our theories can be easily tested by adult male readers.

Stretching of the ridged band triggers reflex or involuntary contraction of bulb muscles. In other words, the ridged band is reflexogenic. Bulb muscle contraction may also be voluntary or willed to, for instance, end urination. Bulb muscle contraction compresses the bulb of the penis, essentially the posterior or perineal expansion of corpus spongiosum: this spongy erectile tissue surrounds the urethra from glans to prostate. According to my old Gray's Anatomy, the only function of corpus spongiosum is to support the long male urethra. The bulb of the penis may help bulb muscles compress the posterior urethra: it may also have an entirely different function related to activation of a little-known glans reflex.

Compression of the erectile or vascular tissue of the bulb of the penis generates a pulse wave that travels to the glans, which expands in response to raised internal pressure. A law of physics causes the wide-radius corona of glans to expand more than the tip of the glans. Thus, bulb muscle contraction does much more than compress the posterior urethra; it also stretches reflexogenic nerve endings of the corona of glans similar to those of the ridged band. Expansion of the glans as a result of bulb muscle contraction triggers secondary reflex, bulb muscle contraction. In short, stretching of the prepuce during sexual intercourse, or manually, fires off a chain reaction involving two very similar stretch reflexes linked together and coordinated by a fixed hydraulic conduit provided by the corpus spongiosum. Voluntary bulb muscle contraction initiates the same chain reaction, with two reflexes reinforcing one another. Two reflexes for the price of one!

The idea that bulb muscle contraction sends a hydraulic signal to the glans which then fires off an electrical signal to augment bulb muscle contraction can be tested, assuming that a secondary or echo signal carried by corpus spongiosum from bulb of the penis to the glans affects the duration of bulb muscle contraction. Surveyed men were asked whether compression of corpus spongiosum affects voluntary bulb muscle contraction (by, presumably, blocking the bulbar pulse wave generated by bulb muscle contraction). About half the volunteers found it more difficult to contract bulb muscles when the urethra was compressed: the other half found that urethral compression made either no significant difference to bulb muscle contraction or that it either delayed full contraction or decreased strength of bulb muscle contraction, but not both. Interesting.

Other items previously reported:

Retraction of prepuce with stretching of ridged band induces and prolongs erection. Possibly this effect is due to constriction, by contracted bulb muscles, of the veins exiting the penis. It may also be due to bulb muscle contraction itself, which is erogenous.
Erection causes the skin of the dorsum or upper surface of the penis to become stiffer, with forward-pointing skin folds. In brief, thanks to unique musculature of penile skin similar to that of the scrotum, penile skin shrinks and becomes frictional during erection: this shrinkage and enhanced frictionality affects mainly the dorsum (prime sexual contact) surface of the erect penis. Stretching of frictional penile skin directly affects the ridged band and its response to penile movement.
This observation draws attention to the specialized nature of the upper surface of the penis, including the glans. Probably, non-circumcised or intact men make use of this above-down organization of the penis to trigger erogenous sensation and sexual reflexes during sexual intercourse, perhaps without recourse to direct glans stimulation. Our pilot internet survey of intact and circumcised men points towards differences in the mechanics of intercourse attributable to the loss of the prepuce and its reflexogenic ridged band. All this requires further study.

Remember a lot of present-day thinking about penis function is intuitive, based on its external physical appearance. As well, lab experiments like those of Masters and Johnston ignored circumcision status and what exactly happens in bed. In other words, the penis is taken for granted because, it works quite well as it is, thank you. The glans, it is guessed, does the heavy lifting: the prepuce does something entirely different, unconnected to glans function and certainly not as important.

As pointed out, my colleagues and I describe the penis as an integrated structure with important hydraulic and other functions not too apparent on superficial inspection. (Here I am talking about an all-important hydraulic linkage provided by corpus spongiosum, not the mechanism mediated by corpora cavernosa, for penile erection).

That is about where it stands at the moment. Give these ideas some careful thought, try them out and pay attention. Get back to me via the feedback page. I will leave the survey in place for a while longer.

John R Taylor

The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages are a not-for-profit educational resource and library. IntactiWiki hosts this website but is not responsible for the content of this site. CIRP makes documents available without charge, for informational purposes only. The contents of this site are not intended to replace the professional medical or legal advice of a licensed practitioner.

Foreskin :: Prepuce :: Ridged Band

NEWSLETTER