Some people experience sexual arousal from sneezing because the brain regions controlling both responses are located right next to each other.

The phenomenon of sexually induced sneezing was brought into the scientific spotlight by Dr. Mahmood Bhutta, an ENT specialist at the Wexham Park Hospital in the United Kingdom. In a 2008 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, researchers investigated how sexual thoughts or orgasms could trigger sneezing fits. The study suggests that the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions, is the primary culprit behind this strange crossover.The hypothalamus is a small but vital part of the brain that regulates both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. These systems manage everything from heart rate and arousal to the sneezing reflex. Because the neural pathways for these functions are physically close together, a phenomenon known as 'crosstalk' can occur. This means an electrical signal intended for one response accidentally leaks into the neighboring pathway.This condition is believed to be hereditary in many cases, similar to the photic sneeze reflex where people sneeze when looking at bright lights. While it remains a rare medical curiosity, it highlights the complexity of the human cranial nerves. Specifically, the trigeminal nerve and the facial nerve are involved in the physical execution of a sneeze, while the hypothalamus provides the initial emotional or physiological trigger. Scientists estimate that the prevalence is low, but many cases likely go unreported due to the sensitive nature of the trigger.