Baxi KN, Dorries KM, Eisthen HL. Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones?
Trends Neurosci 2005;
29:1-7. [PMID:
16271402 DOI:
10.1016/j.tins.2005.10.002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2005] [Revised: 09/21/2005] [Accepted: 10/18/2005] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Many academics, clinicians and lay readers of science incorrectly assume that vomeronasal processing is equivalent to pheromone processing. We review the abundant data concerning the roles of both the olfactory and the vomeronasal systems in the processing of both pheromones and other odorants, demonstrating that this "equivalency hypothesis" is untenable. This conclusion has important implications for the design and interpretation of experiments examining vomeronasal and olfactory system function. We describe some of the problems that arise from assuming that this equivalency holds. Two alternative hypotheses have been offered, but the available data do not enable us to accept or reject either one. Perhaps no single functional description can adequately characterize the role of the vomeronasal system.
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