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Letter 2002; 23(4): 287-288 PubMed PMID: 12195227 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Genes, Fungal:physiology, Homosexuality, Humans, Pheromones:physiology, Rodentia, Vomeronasal Organ:physiology, Yeasts:physiology,.   

: Pheromones and their receptors are the molecules used by very different organisms in order to join two haploid cells. It happens evidently in yeast, since the two blending haploid cells are also the two mating organisms, whereas in rodents pheromone receptors are the triggers of the vomeronasal system which, supervising sexual behaviors, is responsible for copulation and therefore for fertilization. The debate is still open about the real significance of pheromones in humans but a working vomeronasal organ, able to recognize pheromones of the same sex, could be the simplest biological explanation of homosexuality. This hypothesis is discussed and connected with some well known experimental data....

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Journal Article 2002; 23(2): 79-84 PubMed PMID: 12011790 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety:physiopathology, Communication, Fear:physiology, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:analysis, Pheromones:physiology, Salivary Glands:chemistry, Smell:physiology,.   

: In this study we tried to find out if fear can be detected from human body odours. Female subjects wore under-arm axillary pads while watching a terrifying film. Saliva cortisol samples were taken before and after the film presentation as a hormonal measure for the fear response. The fear experience itself was measured by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A "neutral" film, shown one day after the "fear" film, was used as a control in a repeated measures design. In part two of the experiment, the axillary pads were presented to female subjects in a triple forced choice test. Results show that subjects were able to discriminate between fear and non-fear axillary pads, suggesting that women are indeed able to detect "the scent of fear". A direct correlation between induced fear, changes in cortisol levels and smell ratings could not be established. Thus cortisol levels are probably not the inducer of the scent of fear and a hypothetical fear pheromone could have other origins....

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Journal Article 2001; 22(5): 309-321 PubMed PMID: 11600881 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Behavior:physiology, Ethology, Female, Humans, Male, Neurosecretory Systems:physiology, Odorants, Pheromones:physiology, Sexual Behavior, Smell, Vomeronasal Organ,.   

: The effect of sensory input on hormones is essential to any explanation of mammalian behavior, including aspects of physical attraction. The chemical signals we send have direct and developmental effects on hormone levels in other people. Since we don t know either if, or how, visual cues might have direct and developmental effects on hormone levels in other people, the biological basis for the development of visually perceived human physical attraction is currently somewhat questionable. In contrast, the biological basis for the development of physical attraction based on chemical signals is well detailed....

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