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Sexual differentiation in sensitivity to male body odor 1
Author(s) -
Tokunaga Y.,
Omoto Y.,
Sangu T.,
Miyazaki M.,
Kon R.,
Takada K.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international journal of cosmetic science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1468-2494
pISSN - 0142-5463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-2494.2005.00293.x
Subject(s) - odor , androstenone , olfaction , physiology , endocrinology , psychology , medicine , neuroscience
Synopsis We have confirmed that more female subjects than male subjects evaluate male body odor as significantly unpleasant. Through an investigation on sexual differentiation in sensitivity to male body odor, we concluded that one of the volatile steroids, androstenone, had two effects on female olfactory sense. First, female subjects perceived androstenone itself to be more unpleasant than male subjects. Second, for only female subjects, androstenone, at a concentration of one‐tenth of detection threshold, enhanced the intensity and unpleasantness of body‐odor constituents such as short‐chain fatty acids.