1
|
Fišerová A, Pátková Ž, Schwambergová D, Jelínková L, Havlíček J. The Context Matters: Women's Experiences of Their Partner's Odor in Intimate and Sexual Encounters. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024:10.1007/s10508-024-02925-2. [PMID: 39141160 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-024-02925-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Research shows that male body odor plays an important role in women's mate choice and that olfactory abilities are associated with women's sexual functioning. What remains unclear is what types of partner's odor actually shape women's experience during intimate activities. This study therefore explored women's experience associated with the partner's various odors and investigated how they affect women's intimate and sexual encounters. We performed semi-structured individual interviews with 20 single women and 20 women in a long-term relationship. Thematic analysis revealed four key natural odor types of the partner: body odor, sweat, genital odor, and semen odor. Further, we have identified three main types of fragrance odor (cologne, shower gel, and laundry agents) and investigated their perception in both intimate (hugging, kissing, cuddling, lying side by side) and sexual (intercourse, oral sex, ejaculation) contexts. Both partner's natural odor and fragrance affected women's emotional state (ranging from pleasant to unpleasant) and behavioral response (ranging from approach to avoidance of partner). Women's odor perception was frequently context-dependent, so that even mostly negatively perceived odors (e.g., semen, genital odor) were often accepted as part of sexual encounter. Finally, women's perception was negatively modified by partner's specific sweat (after workday, workout, or when the partner is ill) during intimate encounters. Our results highlight the complexity and interindividual variability of partner's odor perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fišerová
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Žaneta Pátková
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Dagmar Schwambergová
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Jelínková
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Havlíček
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wellford SA, Moseman EA. Olfactory immunology: the missing piece in airway and CNS defence. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:381-398. [PMID: 38097777 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00972-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The olfactory mucosa is a component of the nasal airway that mediates the sense of smell. Recent studies point to an important role for the olfactory mucosa as a barrier to both respiratory pathogens and to neuroinvasive pathogens that hijack the olfactory nerve and invade the CNS. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the olfactory mucosa is an integral part of a heterogeneous nasal mucosal barrier critical to upper airway immunity. However, our insufficient knowledge of olfactory mucosal immunity hinders attempts to protect this tissue from infection and other diseases. This Review summarizes the state of olfactory immunology by highlighting the unique immunologically relevant anatomy of the olfactory mucosa, describing what is known of olfactory immune cells, and considering the impact of common infectious diseases and inflammatory disorders at this site. We will offer our perspective on the future of the field and the many unresolved questions pertaining to olfactory immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian A Wellford
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - E Ashley Moseman
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Keller JK, Dulovic A, Gruber J, Griesbaum J, Schneiderhan-Marra N, Wülfing C, Kruse J, Hartmann A, Diekhof EK. SARS-CoV-2 specific sIgA in saliva increases after disease-related video stimulation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22631. [PMID: 38123577 PMCID: PMC10733377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47798-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in saliva is the most important immunoglobulin fighting pathogens in the respiratory tract and may thus play a role in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections. To gain a better understanding of the plasticity in the mucosal antibody, we investigated the proactive change in secretion of salivary SARS-CoV-2-specific sIgA in 45 vaccinated and/or previously infected, generally healthy persons (18 to 35 years, 22 women). Participants were exposed to a disease video displaying humans with several respiratory symptoms typical for COVID-19 in realistic situations of increased contagion risk. The disease video triggered an increase in spike-specific sIgA, which was absent after a similar control video with healthy people. The increase further correlated inversely with revulsion and aversive feelings while watching sick people. In contrast, the receptor binding domain-specific sIgA did not increase after the disease video. This may indicate differential roles of the two salivary antibodies in response to predictors of airborne contagion. The observed plasticity of spike-specific salivary antibody release after visual simulation of enhanced contagion risk suggests a role in immune exclusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith K Keller
- Department of Biology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Alex Dulovic
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Jens Gruber
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Johanna Griesbaum
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | | | - Clemens Wülfing
- Department of Biology, Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jana Kruse
- Department of Biology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annika Hartmann
- Department of Biology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Esther K Diekhof
- Department of Biology, Neuroendocrinology and Human Biology Unit, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Loos HM, Schaal B, Pause BM, Smeets MAM, Ferdenzi C, Roberts SC, de Groot J, Lübke KT, Croy I, Freiherr J, Bensafi M, Hummel T, Havlíček J. Past, Present, and Future of Human Chemical Communication Research. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023:17456916231188147. [PMID: 37669015 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231188147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Although chemical signaling is an essential mode of communication in most vertebrates, it has long been viewed as having negligible effects in humans. However, a growing body of evidence shows that the sense of smell affects human behavior in social contexts ranging from affiliation and parenting to disease avoidance and social threat. This article aims to (a) introduce research on human chemical communication in the historical context of the behavioral sciences; (b) provide a balanced overview of recent advances that describe individual differences in the emission of semiochemicals and the neural mechanisms underpinning their perception, that together demonstrate communicative function; and (c) propose directions for future research toward unraveling the molecular principles involved and understanding the variability in the generation, transmission, and reception of chemical signals in increasingly ecologically valid conditions. Achieving these goals will enable us to address some important societal challenges but are within reach only with the aid of genuinely interdisciplinary approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helene M Loos
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
- Department of Sensory Analytics and Technologies, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
| | - Benoist Schaal
- Development of Olfactory Cognition and Communication Lab, Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR 6265, Université de Bourgogne
| | - Bettina M Pause
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
| | | | - Camille Ferdenzi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, Inserm U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier
| | | | | | - Katrin T Lübke
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
| | - Ilona Croy
- Institute for Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
| | - Jessica Freiherr
- Department of Sensory Analytics and Technologies, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
| | - Moustafa Bensafi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, Inserm U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden
| | | |
Collapse
|