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The Human Vomeronasal System: A Review
Author(s) -
MONTIBLOCH LOUIS,
JENNINGSWHITE CLIVE,
BERLINER DAVID L.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10595.x
Subject(s) - vomeronasal organ , biology , amygdala , hypothalamus , neuroscience , central nervous system , stimulation , endocrinology , olfactory system , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology
Recent publications show that the human vomeronasal organ (VNO) develops and grows during gestation, and is present in all adult humans. The human VNO has a unique ultrastructure, with elongated bipolar microvillar cells that stain with several immunomarkers. These cells show physiological properties similar to chemosensory receptor cells of other mammalian species. The adult human VNO displays species‐specific, gender‐dimorphic and highly stereospecific responses to ligands. The organ's local response, or electrovomerogram, is followed by gender‐specific behavioral changes, modulation of autonomic nervous system function, or the release of gonadotropins from the pituitary gland. Functional brain imaging studies revealed consistent activation of the hypothalamus, amygdala and cingulate gyrus‐related structures during adult human VNO stimulation. These findings present new information supportive of a functional vomeronasal system in adult humans.