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J Neurosci

Title:		Smelling a single component of male sweat alters levels of cortisol in women
Author(s):		Wyart C; Webster WW; Chen JH; Wilson SR; McClary A; Khan RM; Sobel N;
Address:		"Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. clairon@berkeley.edu"
Journal Title:		J Neurosci
Year:		2007
Volume:		27
Issue:		6
Page Number:		1261 - 1265
DOI:		10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4430-06.2007
ISSN/ISBN:		1529-2401 (Electronic) 0270-6474 (Print) 0270-6474 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Rodents use chemosignals to alter endocrine balance in conspecifics. Although responses to human sweat suggest a similar mechanism in humans, no particular component of human sweat capable of altering endocrine balance in conspecifics has yet been isolated and identified. Here, we measured salivary levels of the hormone cortisol in women after smelling pure androstadienone (4,16-androstadien-3-one), a molecule present in the sweat of men that has been suggested as a chemosignal in humans. We found that merely smelling androstadienone maintained significantly higher levels of the hormone cortisol in women. These results suggest that, like rodents, humans can influence the hormonal balance of conspecifics through chemosignals. Critically, this study identified a single component of sweat, androstadienone, as capable of exerting such influence. This result points to a potential role for synthetic human chemosignals in clinical applications"
Keywords:		"Administration, Inhalation Adult Affect/drug effects Androstadienes/administration & dosage/*pharmacology Arousal/*drug effects Autonomic Nervous System/drug effects Blood Pressure/drug effects Circadian Rhythm Double-Blind Method Electrocardiography/drug;Neuroscience;"
Notes:		"MedlineWyart, Claire Webster, Wallace W Chen, Jonathan H Wilson, Sarah R McClary, Andrew Khan, Rehan M Sobel, Noam eng DC005958/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ DC006915/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2007/02/09 J Neurosci. 2007 Feb 7; 27(6):1261-5. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4430-06.2007"