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Poirier AC, Melin AD. Smell throughout the life course. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22030. [PMID: 38704704 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22030] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The sense of smell is an important mediator of health and sociality at all stages of life, yet it has received limited attention in our lineage. Olfaction starts in utero and participates in the establishment of social bonds in children, and of romantic and sexual relationships after puberty. Smell further plays a key role in food assessment and danger avoidance; in modern societies, it also guides our consumer behavior. Sensory abilities typically decrease with age and can be impacted by diseases, with repercussions on health and well-being. Here, we critically review our current understanding of human olfactory communication to refute outdated notions that our sense of smell is of low importance. We provide a summary of the biology of olfaction, give a prospective overview of the importance of the sense of smell throughout the life course, and conclude with an outline of the limitations and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C Poirier
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Dart DA, Bevan CL, Uysal-Onganer P, Jiang WG. Analysis of androgen receptor expression and activity in the mouse brain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11115. [PMID: 38750183 PMCID: PMC11096401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61733-9] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the core treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa), with a proven survival benefit. ADT lowers circulating testosterone levels throughout the body, but with it comes a variety of reported side effects including fatigue, muscle wastage, weight gain, hot flushes and importantly cognitive impairment, depression, and mood swings. Testosterone has a key role in brain masculinization, but its direct effects are relatively poorly understood, due both to the brain's extreme complexity and the fact that some of testosterone activities are driven via local conversion to oestrogen, especially during embryonic development. The exact roles, function, and location of the androgen receptor (AR) in the adult male brain are still being discovered, and therefore the cognitive side effects of ADT may be unrecognized or under-reported. The age of onset of several neurological diseases overlap with PCa, therefore, there is a need to separate ADT side effects from such co-morbidities. Here we analysed the activity and expression level of the AR in the adult mouse brain, using an ARE-Luc reporter mouse and immunohistochemical staining for AR in all the key brain regions via coronal slices. We further analysed our data by comparing to the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas. AR-driven luciferase activity and distinct nuclear staining for AR were seen in several key brain areas including the thalamus, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, Purkinje cells of the cerebellum and the hindbrain. We describe and discuss the potential role of AR in these areas, to inform and enable extrapolation to potential side effects of ADT in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Alwyn Dart
- UCL (University College London) Cancer Institute, University College London, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6DD, UK.
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, UK.
| | - Charlotte L Bevan
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Pinar Uysal-Onganer
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers Research Group, School of Life Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - Wen Guo Jiang
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, UK
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3
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Do humans agree on which body odors are attractive, similar to the agreement observed when rating faces and voices? EVOL HUM BEHAV 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
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4
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Dhawan SS, Yedavalli V, Massoud TF. Atavistic and vestigial anatomical structures in the head, neck, and spine: an overview. Anat Sci Int 2023:10.1007/s12565-022-00701-7. [PMID: 36680662 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-022-00701-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Organisms may retain nonfunctional anatomical features as a consequence of evolutionary natural selection. Resultant atavistic and vestigial anatomical structures have long been a source of perplexity. Atavism is when an ancestral trait reappears after loss through an evolutionary change in previous generations, whereas vestigial structures are remnants that are largely or entirely functionless relative to their original roles. While physicians are cognizant of their existence, atavistic and vestigial structures are rarely emphasized in anatomical curricula and can, therefore, be puzzling when discovered incidentally. In addition, the literature is replete with examples of the terms atavistic and vestigial being used interchangeably without careful distinction between them. We provide an overview of important atavistic and vestigial structures in the head, neck, and spine that can serve as a reference for anatomists and clinical neuroscientists. We review the literature on atavistic and vestigial anatomical structures of the head, neck, and spine that may be encountered in clinical practice. We define atavistic and vestigial structures and employ these definitions consistently when classifying anatomical structures. Pertinent anatomical structures are numerous and include human tails, plica semilunaris, the vomeronasal organ, levator claviculae, and external ear muscles, to name a few. Atavistic and vestigial structures are found throughout the head, neck, and spine. Some, such as human tails and branchial cysts may be clinically symptomatic. Literature reports indicate that their prevalence varies across populations. Knowledge of atavistic and vestigial anatomical structures can inform diagnoses, prevent misrecognition of variation for pathology, and guide clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhant Suri Dhawan
- Department of Bioengineering, Schools of Engineering and Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Vivek Yedavalli
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Tarik F Massoud
- Division of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention, and Stanford Initiative for Multimodality Neuro-Imaging in Translational Anatomy Research (SIMITAR), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA. .,Center for Academic Medicine, Radiology MC: 5659; 453 Quarry Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
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5
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de Groot JHB, Haertl T, Loos HM, Bachmann C, Kontouli A, Smeets MAM. Unraveling the universality of chemical fear communication: evidence from behavioral, genetic, and chemical analyses. Chem Senses 2023; 48:bjad046. [PMID: 37944028 PMCID: PMC10718800 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjad046] [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: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Abundant evidence indicates that humans can communicate threat-related information to conspecifics through their body odors. However, prior research has been primarily conducted on Western (WEIRD) samples. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether threat-related information can be transmitted by individuals of East Asian descent who carry a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 538G → A in the ABCC11 gene, which significantly reduces (noticeable) body odor. To examine this, we recruited 18 self-identified male East Asian AA-homozygotes and 18 self-identified male Western individuals who were carriers of the functional G-allele. We collected samples of their fear-related and neutral body odors. Subsequently, we conducted a double-blind behavioral experiment in which we presented these samples to 69 self-identified female participants of Western Caucasian and East Asian backgrounds. The participants were asked to rate faces that were morphed between expressions of fear and disgust. Notably, despite the "odorless" phenotypical expression of the ABCC11-mutation in East Asians, their fear odor caused a perceptual fear bias in both East Asian and Caucasian receivers. This finding leaves open the possibility of universal fear chemosignaling. Additionally, we conducted exploratory chemical analysis to gain initial insights into the chemical composition of the body odors presented. In a subsequent pre-registered behavioral study (N = 33), we found that exposure to hexadecanoic acid, an abundant compound in the fear and neutral body odor samples, was sufficient to reproduce the observed behavioral effects. While exploratory, these findings provide insight into how specific chemical components can drive chemical fear communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper H B de Groot
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 XZ, the Netherlands
| | - Tobias Haertl
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
| | - Helene M Loos
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Christin Bachmann
- Department of Social, Health, & Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CS, the Netherlands
| | - Athanasia Kontouli
- Department of Social, Health, & Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CS, the Netherlands
| | - Monique A M Smeets
- Department of Social, Health, & Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CS, the Netherlands
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6
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Berry EM. Food Security and Nutrition as the Neglected Missing Links in Cultural Evolution: The Role of the Sociotype. Rambam Maimonides Med J 2022; 13:RMMJ.10477. [PMID: 35921489 PMCID: PMC9345770 DOI: 10.5041/rmmj.10477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Food security and nutrition were major drivers of cultural evolution by enabling sociotypic development and communal living after the Neolithic agricultural revolution some 12,000 years ago. The sociotype unites concepts from the sciences and the humanities; in concert with the genotype it determines an individual's phenotype (observable traits and behavior), and together they advance societal culture. As such, the sociotype relates to an individual's dynamic interactions with the surrounding social environment throughout life and comprises three domains: the Individual, Relationships, and Context. Nutrition affects each domain, respectively, by ensuring the following dimensions of food security: utilization (metabolic fuel and health); accessibility (physical and economic); and availability (the right to nutritious food for all citizens). The sociotype is influenced by multiple factors, including diet-gene interactions, allostasis, microbiota, oxytocin, and culturally through mate selection, family bonds, social communication, political ideologies, and values. Food security, sociotypes, and culture form a complex adaptive system to enable coping with the circumstances of life in health and disease, to achieve sustainable development, and to eradicate hunger. The current geopolitical unrest highlights the absolutely critical role of this system for global security, yet many challenges remain in implementing this paradigm for society. Therefore, sustainable food security must be considered a fundamental human right and responsibility for safeguarding the survival and progress of the sociotypes of humankind (Homo culturus) worldwide.
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Semin GR, Gomes N, D’Aniello B, Sabiniewicz A. Can Humans Discriminate Horse ‘Fear’ Chemosignals from Control Chemosignals? Comment on Sabiniewicz et al. A Preliminary Investigation of Interspecific Chemosensory Communication of Emotions: Can Humans (Homo sapiens) Recognise Fear- and Non-Fear Body Odour from Horses (Equus ferus caballus). Animals 2021, 11, 3499. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12121489. [PMID: 35739825 PMCID: PMC9219467 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We illustrate the problematic nature of different assumptions guiding the examination of whether humans can detect the source of fear chemosignals (i.e., body odors) emitted by horses—a research question examined in an article recently published in Animals. A central issue is that the formulation of the question itself contains the answer to it. In this paper, we parse the problematic assumptions on which the analysis and methodology rely, leading to conclusions that are difficult to support. These assumptions constitute examples of methodological problems that should be avoided in research with animals and odors. The unique aspect of this paper is that it is a collaborative product, including the original contributor, in the pursuit of transparency in science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gün R. Semin
- William James Center for Research, ISPA–Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
| | - Nuno Gomes
- William James Center for Research, ISPA–Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Biagio D’Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Agnieszka Sabiniewicz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
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8
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Pelosi P, Knoll W. Odorant-binding proteins of mammals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:20-44. [PMID: 34480392 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) of vertebrates belong to the lipocalin superfamily and perform a dual function: solubilizing and ferrying volatile pheromones to the olfactory receptors, and complexing the same molecules in specialized glands and assisting their release into the environment. Within vertebrates, to date they have been reported only in mammals, apart from two studies on amphibians. Based on the small number of OBPs expressed in each species, on their sites of production outside the olfactory area and their presence in biological fluids known to be pheromone carriers, such as urine, saliva and sexual secretions, we conclude that OBPs of mammals are specifically dedicated to pheromonal communication. This assumption is further supported by the observation that some OBPs present in biological secretions are endowed with their own pheromonal activity, adding renewed interest to these proteins. Another novel piece of evidence is the recent discovery that glycosylation and phosphorylation can modulate the binding activity of these proteins, improving their affinity to pheromones and narrowing their specificity. A comparison with insects and other arthropods shows a completely different scenario. While mammalian OBPs are specifically tuned to pheromones, those of insects, which are completely different in sequence and structure, include carriers for general odorants in addition to those dedicated to pheromones. Additionally, whereas mammals adopted a single family of carrier proteins for chemical communication, insects and other arthropods are endowed with several families of semiochemical-binding proteins. Here, we review the literature on the structural and functional properties of vertebrate OBPs, summarize the most interesting new findings and suggest possible exciting future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Pelosi
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Biosensor Technologies, Konrad-Lorenz Straße 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Knoll
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Biosensor Technologies, Konrad-Lorenz Straße 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
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9
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Zaremska V, Fischer IM, Renzone G, Arena S, Scaloni A, Knoll W, Pelosi P. Reverse Chemical Ecology Suggests Putative Primate Pheromones. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msab338. [PMID: 34897488 PMCID: PMC8789041 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromonal communication is widespread among living organisms, but in apes and particularly in humans there is currently no strong evidence for such phenomenon. Among primates, lemurs use pheromones to communicate within members of the same species, whereas in some monkeys such capabilities seem to be lost. Chemical communication in humans appears to be impaired by the lack or malfunctioning of biochemical tools and anatomical structures mediating detection of pheromones. Here, we report on a pheromone-carrier protein (SAL) adopting a "reverse chemical ecology" approach to get insights on the structures of potential pheromones in a representative species of lemurs (Microcebus murinus) known to use pheromones, Old-World monkeys (Cercocebus atys) for which chemical communication has been observed, and humans (Homo sapiens), where pheromones and chemical communication are still questioned. We have expressed the SAL orthologous proteins of these primate species, after reconstructing the gene encoding the human SAL, which is disrupted due to a single base mutation preventing its translation into RNA. Ligand-binding experiments with the recombinant SALs revealed macrocyclic ketones and lactones as the best ligands for all three proteins, suggesting cyclopentadecanone, pentadecanolide, and closely related compounds as the best candidates for potential pheromones. Such hypothesis agrees with the presence of a chemical very similar to hexadecanolide in the gland secretions of Mandrillus sphinx, a species closely related to C. atys. Our results indicate that the function of this carrier protein has not changed much during evolution from lemurs to humans, although its physiological role has been certainly impaired in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeriia Zaremska
- Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Biosensor Technologies, Tulln, Austria
| | | | - Giovanni Renzone
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, ISPAAM, National Research Council, Napoli, Italy
| | - Simona Arena
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, ISPAAM, National Research Council, Napoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Scaloni
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, ISPAAM, National Research Council, Napoli, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Knoll
- Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Biosensor Technologies, Tulln, Austria
- Department of Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Faculty of Medicine/Dental Medicine, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria
| | - Paolo Pelosi
- Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Biosensor Technologies, Tulln, Austria
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10
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Beaton AA, Jones L, Benton D, Richards G. Judgements of attractiveness of the opposite sex and nostril differences in self-rated mood: The effects of androstenol. Biol Psychol 2021; 167:108237. [PMID: 34864067 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Androstenol has been reported to influence judgements of attractiveness and to affect participants' mood. In the present study, participants were asked to sniff androstenol or a control odour (pure ethanol) unilaterally with the left or right nostril. Subsequently, they rated the attractiveness of photographs of the opposite sex and their own feelings on four mood scales. Participants rated the photographs as significantly more attractive after sniffing androstenol compared with the control odour. This did not depend upon androstenol being perceived as pleasant. Androstenol made male participants feel more lively, and both male and female participants more sexy, when sniffed through the right compared with the left nostril. Participants rated themselves as more irritable and aggressive when exposed to androstenol through the left nostril. The findings are discussed in relation to the effects of arousal on attraction and in the context of current theories of hemispheric differences in emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan A Beaton
- Department of Psychology, College of Human and Health Sciences, University of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK; Department of Psychology, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales SY23 3UX, UK.
| | - Lowri Jones
- Department of Psychology, College of Human and Health Sciences, University of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - David Benton
- Department of Psychology, College of Human and Health Sciences, University of Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Gareth Richards
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Dame Margaret Barbour Building, Wallace Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, England NE2 4DR, UK
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Leongómez JD, Sánchez OR, Vásquez-Amézquita M, Roberts SC. Contextualising courtship: Exploring male body odour effects on vocal modulation. Behav Processes 2021; 193:104531. [PMID: 34655713 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Voice characteristics are important to communicate socially relevant information. Recent research has shown that individuals alter their voices depending on the context of social interactions and perceived characteristics of the audience, and this affects how they are perceived. Numerous studies have also shown that the presence of bodily odours can elicit psychological changes in people. Here, we tested whether the presence of male axillary odour would influence vocal modulations in courtship contexts. We analysed differences in vocal parameters and attractiveness ratings across 950 recordings from 80 participants as they responded to opposite-sex target stimuli. Using these, we tested whether men's and women's vocal parameters and perceived stimuli attractiveness differed in the presence or absence of the odour. We expected women to speak with increased voice F0, and men to lower their pitch, when exposed to male body odour, especially if it were of high quality. However, neither the presence of male odour, its quality, nor the addition of androstadienone produced any consistent changes in vocal parameters. Nevertheless, rated stimulus attractiveness was predicted by F0 and especially F0 variability, suggesting that this is a key parameter in signalling attraction during human courtship, and supporting the idea that vocal modulations are context-sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan David Leongómez
- Human Behaviour Lab, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota 110121, Colombia; Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Oscar R Sánchez
- Human Behaviour Lab, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota 110121, Colombia.
| | - Milena Vásquez-Amézquita
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota 110121, Colombia.
| | - S Craig Roberts
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
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12
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Damon F, Mezrai N, Magnier L, Leleu A, Durand K, Schaal B. Olfaction in the Multisensory Processing of Faces: A Narrative Review of the Influence of Human Body Odors. Front Psychol 2021; 12:750944. [PMID: 34675855 PMCID: PMC8523678 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.750944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent body of research has emerged regarding the interactions between olfaction and other sensory channels to process social information. The current review examines the influence of body odors on face perception, a core component of human social cognition. First, we review studies reporting how body odors interact with the perception of invariant facial information (i.e., identity, sex, attractiveness, trustworthiness, and dominance). Although we mainly focus on the influence of body odors based on axillary odor, we also review findings about specific steroids present in axillary sweat (i.e., androstenone, androstenol, androstadienone, and estratetraenol). We next survey the literature showing body odor influences on the perception of transient face properties, notably in discussing the role of body odors in facilitating or hindering the perception of emotional facial expression, in relation to competing frameworks of emotions. Finally, we discuss the developmental origins of these olfaction-to-vision influences, as an emerging literature indicates that odor cues strongly influence face perception in infants. Body odors with a high social relevance such as the odor emanating from the mother have a widespread influence on various aspects of face perception in infancy, including categorization of faces among other objects, face scanning behavior, or facial expression perception. We conclude by suggesting that the weight of olfaction might be especially strong in infancy, shaping social perception, especially in slow-maturing senses such as vision, and that this early tutoring function of olfaction spans all developmental stages to disambiguate a complex social environment by conveying key information for social interactions until adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Damon
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, Inrae, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS (UMR 6265), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
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13
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Invitto S, Keshmiri S, Mazzatenta A, Grasso A, Romano D, Bona F, Shiomi M, Sumioka H, Ishiguro H. Perception of Social Odor and Gender-Related Differences Investigated Through the Use of Transfer Entropy and Embodied Medium. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:650528. [PMID: 34177474 PMCID: PMC8232750 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.650528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The perception of putative pheromones or social odors (PPSO) in humans is a widely debated topic because the published results seem ambiguous. Our research aimed to evaluate how cross-modal processing of PPSO and gender voice can affect the behavioral and psychophysiological states of the subject during a listening task with a bodily contact medium, and how these effects could be gender related. Before the experimental session, three embodied media, were exposed to volatilized estratetraenol (Estr), 5α-androst-16-en-3 α-ol (Andr), and Vaseline oil. The experimental session consisted in listening to a story that were transmitted, with a male or female voice, by the communicative medium via a Bluetooth system during a listening task, recorded through 64-active channel electroencephalography (EEG). The sense of co-presence and social presence, elicited by the medium, showed how the established relationship with the medium was gender dependent and modulated by the PPSO. In particular, Andr induced greater responses related to co-presence. The gender of the participants was related to the co-presence desire, where women imagined higher medium co-presence than men. EEG findings seemed to be more responsive to the PPSO–gender voice interaction, than behavioral results. The mismatch between female PPSO and male voice elicited the greatest cortical flow of information. In the case of the Andr–male voice condition, the trained model appeared to assign more relevance to the flow of information to the right frontotemporal regions (involved in odor recognition memory and social behavior). The Estr–male voice condition showed activation of the bilateral frontoparietal network, which is linked to cognitive control, cognitive flexibility, and auditory consciousness. The model appears to distinguish the dissonance condition linked to Andr matched with a female voice: it highlights a flow of information to the right occipital lobe and to the frontal pole. The PPSO could influence the co-presence judgements and EEG response. The results seem suggest that could be an implicit pattern linked to PPSO-related gender differences and gender voice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Invitto
- INSPIRE-Laboratory of Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Soheil Keshmiri
- The Thomas N. Sato BioMEC-X Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Andrea Mazzatenta
- Neurophysiology, Olfaction and Chemoreception Laboratory, Physiology and Physiopathology Section, Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences Department, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Alberto Grasso
- INSPIRE-Laboratory of Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Romano
- Department of Psychology and NeuroMi, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Fabio Bona
- INSPIRE-Laboratory of Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Masahiro Shiomi
- Interaction Science Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hidenobu Sumioka
- Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishiguro
- Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan.,Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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14
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Wyatt TD. Pheromones: Stink Fights in Lemurs. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R1373-R1375. [PMID: 33202237 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Some primates, in particular lemurs, have long been known to communicate by smell. However, no bona fide primate pheromones have been identified. A recent study of ring-tailed lemurs offers some - disputed - candidate molecules for a male pheromone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristram D Wyatt
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK; Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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15
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de Groot JHB, Croijmans I, Smeets MAM. More Data, Please: Machine Learning to Advance the Multidisciplinary Science of Human Sociochemistry. Front Psychol 2020; 11:581701. [PMID: 33192899 PMCID: PMC7642605 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.581701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication constitutes the core of human life. A large portion of our everyday social interactions is non-verbal. Of the sensory modalities we use for non-verbal communication, olfaction (i.e., the sense of smell) is often considered the most enigmatic medium. Outside of our awareness, smells provide information about our identity, emotions, gender, mate compatibility, illness, and potentially more. Yet, body odors are astonishingly complex, with their composition being influenced by various factors. Is there a chemical basis of olfactory communication? Can we identify molecules predictive of psychological states and traits? We propose that answering these questions requires integrating two disciplines: psychology and chemistry. This new field, coined sociochemistry, faces new challenges emerging from the sheer amount of factors causing variability in chemical composition of body odorants on the one hand (e.g., diet, hygiene, skin bacteria, hormones, genes), and variability in psychological states and traits on the other (e.g., genes, culture, hormones, internal state, context). In past research, the reality of these high-dimensional data has been reduced in an attempt to isolate unidimensional factors in small, homogenous samples under tightly controlled settings. Here, we propose big data approaches to establish novel links between chemical and psychological data on a large scale from heterogeneous samples in ecologically valid settings. This approach would increase our grip on the way chemical signals non-verbally and subconsciously affect our social lives across contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper H. B. de Groot
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ilja Croijmans
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Monique A. M. Smeets
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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16
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Schaal B, Saxton TK, Loos H, Soussignan R, Durand K. Olfaction scaffolds the developing human from neonate to adolescent and beyond. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190261. [PMID: 32306879 PMCID: PMC7209940 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of the olfactory sense is regularly apparent across development. The fetus is bathed in amniotic fluid (AF) that conveys the mother's chemical ecology. Transnatal olfactory continuity between the odours of AF and milk assists in the transition to nursing. At the same time, odours emanating from the mammary areas provoke appetitive responses in newborns. Odours experienced from the mother's diet during breastfeeding, and from practices such as pre-mastication, may assist in the dietary transition at weaning. In parallel, infants are attracted to and recognize their mother's odours; later, children are able to recognize other kin and peers based on their odours. Familiar odours, such as those of the mother, regulate the child's emotions, and scaffold perception and learning through non-olfactory senses. During juvenility and adolescence, individuals become more sensitive to some bodily odours, while the timing of adolescence itself has been speculated to draw from the chemical ecology of the family unit. Odours learnt early in life and within the family niche continue to influence preferences as mate choice becomes relevant. Olfaction thus appears significant in turning on, sustaining and, in cases when mother odour is altered, disturbing adaptive reciprocity between offspring and carer during the multiple transitions of development between birth and adolescence. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoist Schaal
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
| | - Tamsin K. Saxton
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Hélène Loos
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Sensory Analytics, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany
| | - Robert Soussignan
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
| | - Karine Durand
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
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17
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Havlíček J, Winternitz J, Roberts SC. Major histocompatibility complex-associated odour preferences and human mate choice: near and far horizons. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190260. [PMID: 32306884 PMCID: PMC7209936 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a core part of the adaptive immune system. As in other vertebrate taxa, it may also affect human chemical communication via odour-based mate preferences, with greater attraction towards MHC-dissimilar partners. However, despite some well-known findings, the available evidence is equivocal and made complicated by varied approaches to quantifying human mate choice. To address this, we here conduct comprehensive meta-analyses focusing on studies assessing: (i) genomic mate selection, (ii) relationship satisfaction, (iii) odour preference, and (iv) all studies combined. Analysis of genomic studies reveals no association between MHC-dissimilarity and mate choice in actual couples; however, MHC effects appear to be independent of the genomic background. The effect of MHC-dissimilarity on relationship satisfaction was not significant, and we found evidence for publication bias in studies on this area. There was also no significant association between MHC-dissimilarity and odour preferences. Finally, combining effect sizes from all genomic, relationship satisfaction, odour preference and previous mate choice studies into an overall estimate showed no overall significant effect of MHC-similarity on human mate selection. Based on these findings, we make a set of recommendations for future studies, focusing both on aspects that should be implemented immediately and those that lurk on the far horizon. We need larger samples with greater geographical and cultural diversity that control for genome-wide similarity. We also need more focus on mechanisms of MHC-associated odour preferences and on MHC-associated pregnancy loss. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Havlíček
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 42 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Jamie Winternitz
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - S. Craig Roberts
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
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18
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Roberts SC, Havlíček J, Schaal B. Human olfactory communication: current challenges and future prospects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190258. [PMID: 32306869 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although anthropologists frequently report the centrality of odours in the daily lives and cultural beliefs of many small-scale communities, Western scholars have historically considered the sense of smell as minimally involved in human communication. Here, we suggest that the origin and persistence of this latter view might be a consequence of the fact that most research is conducted on participants from Western societies who, collectively, were rather old (adults), deodorized and desensitized (ODD) to various aspects of olfactory perception. The view is rapidly changing, however, and this themed issue provides a timely overview of the current state-of-the-art on human chemocommunication. Based on evolutionary models of communication, the papers cover both general mechanisms of odour production by 'senders' and odour perception by 'receivers'. Focus on specific functional contexts includes reciprocal impact of odours between infants and mothers, the role of odour in mate choice and how odours communicate emotion and disease. Finally, a position paper outlines pitfalls and opportunities for the future, against the context of the replication crisis in psychology. We believe a more nuanced view of human chemical communication is within our grasp if we can continue to develop inter-disciplinary insights and expand research activities beyond ODD people. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Craig Roberts
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Jan Havlíček
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 42 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Benoist Schaal
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre for Taste, Smell and Feeding Behaviour Science, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne-Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
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19
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Ferdenzi C, Richard Ortegón S, Delplanque S, Baldovini N, Bensafi M. Interdisciplinary challenges for elucidating human olfactory attractiveness. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190268. [PMID: 32306873 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species use chemicals to communicate. In humans, there is increasing evidence that chemicals conveyed by the body are extremely important in interpersonal relationships. However, many aspects of chemical communication remain to be explored to fully understand this function in humans. The aim of this article is to identify relevant challenges in this field, with a focus on human attractiveness in the context of reproduction, and to put forward roadmaps for future studies that will hopefully extend to a wider range of social interactions. The first challenge consists in not being limited to body (mal)odours from the axilla. Preliminary data on how the odour of the face and head is perceived are presented. Second, there is a crucial need to increase our knowledge of the chemical bases of human chemical communication. Third, cross-cultural approaches must not be overlooked, because they have a major input in understanding the universal and culture-specific aspects of chemical communication. Fourth, the influence of specific cultural practices such as contraceptive and fragrance use is likely to be prominent and, therefore, needs to be well described. The fifth and last challenge for research projects in this field is the integration of different disciplines such as behavioural sciences, social sciences, neurosciences and microbiology. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Ferdenzi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, F-69675 Bron Cedex, France
| | - Stéphane Richard Ortegón
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, F-69675 Bron Cedex, France
| | - Sylvain Delplanque
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Baldovini
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, Université Côte d'Azur, F-06108 Nice, France
| | - Moustafa Bensafi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, F-69675 Bron Cedex, France
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