Dorothy FarrarPheromone
Pheromones are hormone-like compounds that are released by an organism to induce behavioral changes in the recipient. They are very widespread in the animal kingdom. Sexual behavior is mostly affected.
Definition
Pheromones are non-specific scents that a living being emits to achieve a specific effect on another organism of the same species. This can lead to changes in behavior or physiological changes. When it comes to pheromones, a distinction is made between releasers and primers.
The releasers affect the behavior of the recipient, while the primers produce a physiological change in the recipient. Pheromones work in very low concentrations and can thus be compared to hormones . However, hormones are essential for bodily processes, while pheromones only have an effect in the interaction of the individual individuals and can thus possibly influence social behavior.
Anatomy
Pheromones are chemical fragrances that are airborne. They do not belong to a uniform class of substances and therefore have different chemical structures. Pheromones act on both the hormone system and the vegetative functions. Well-known pheromones are androstenone from men’s armpit sweat and the copulins contained in female vaginal secretions.
Androstenone has been found to be able to synchronize the woman ‘s menstrual cycle . The fragrances are absorbed through the olfactory mucosa. The water-soluble active ingredients bind to the receptors of the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is located below the frontal lobe and is responsible for smell perception.
The olfactory fibers of the trigeminal nerve can also perceive pheromones. However, this requires a significantly higher concentration. Since the olfactory pathway is directly connected to the limbic system and the hypothalamus , smells are mainly perceived unconsciously. The collaterals of the trigeminal nerve lead to the thalamus, where conscious perception of odors is mediated. However, the concentrations must be higher here so that the pheromones can be smelled.
The unconscious perception applies specifically to humans. Other mammals and insects can smell the substances very well. Animals often react more intensely to pheromones than humans. However, the unconscious perceptions in humans often lead to changes in the hormone system or in the vegetative system without a reason being given.
Function
Pheromones regulate the social behavior of individuals, especially in the animal kingdom. In recent years, however, it has been found that human social behavior is also influenced to a large extent by pheromones. However, the exact extent of this influence is not yet clear and requires further research. However, clear behavioral changes have been identified depending on specific odorants found in human secretions.
It is mainly about the unconscious change in sexual behavior. The androstenone present in male underarm sweat can increase male sexual attraction. It depends on the level of your concentration. Androstenone is a metabolite of the male sex hormone testosterone . Its chemical structure is similar. The level of its concentration signals to the female sex that the man is more sexually active and thus increases his attractiveness.
The same applies to the copulins contained in female vaginal secretions, which contain scents similar to female sex hormones. Some studies have also found that heterosexual men and women each respond to the opposite sex’s pheromones, while homosexual individuals always prefer the same sex’s fragrances.
The extent to which other pheromones also play a role in humans has not yet been clarified. However, it is likely that sympathy and antipathy on the face of it also have something to do with the emission and reception of pheromones.
Diseases
As mentioned earlier, pheromones have been found to have a major impact on the endocrine and autonomic systems. It can only be assumed whether this also has health consequences. So it is quite conceivable that health problems will arise if people with incompatible pheromone systems live together for a longer period of time. This is literally the case with people who cannot smell themselves.
Regarding sexual behavior, sex researchers found that women are particularly attracted to men whose pheromones indicate an opposing immune system . This ensures greater gene diversity during mating, which in turn can have a positive effect on the physical and mental health of the offspring. However, this natural choice of partner can be affected by the intake of hormones.
It was found that the contraceptive pill makes women look for a male partner with a similar immune system. This could result in a weaker immune system for the offspring. Furthermore, studies have shown that birth control pills can have a negative impact on relationships because the contraceptive can impair the perception of male pheromones.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.