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Examining the effects of the 16-androstenes; are they influenced by masking odour?

Alice Murray1*, Anita Chopra2, Nicola Phillips2 and Craig Roberts1
  • 1 University of Liverpool, School of Biological Sciences, United Kingdom
  • 2 Unilever Research and Development Port Sunlight, United Kingdom

My research over the next 3 years will focus on the function of the 16-androstenes; a group of steroids naturally occurring in human sweat and proposed as candidate human pheromones. Our ultimate aim is to examine the effects of the main 16-androstenenes within a range of contexts and concentrations, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of these compounds. Before we assess any behavioural or electrophysical effects however, we are undertaking a series of preliminary experiments focussing on threshold differences in the population and how methodological factors may affect future findings. Current efforts are focussed on the effect of different masking odours on psychological reactions to androstadienone. Masking odours are necessary in experiments where behavioural effects are measured, as they mask out the musky odour that an individual may detect from the 16-androstenes. Many previous studies have used clove oil as an odour mask (Jacob, Kinnunen et al. 2001; Jacob, Garcia et al. 2002; Saxton, Little et al. 2008; Saxton, Lyndon et al. 2008), although it is possible that clove oil might alter the effect of the compound by creating a complex odour mixture (Lundström, Goncalves et al. 2003). In light of this, we have decided to test the different and unrelated odour of rose oil (phenyl ethyl alcohol) as a mask, to see whether compound effects are independent of the masking odour used. We are testing this by comparing behavioural responses to androstadienone with clove oil or rose as masking odours; a difference in response will have substantial effects on future experimental design. We are also collecting information on hedonic ratings and thresholds, allowing us to construct more thorough and ecologically valid experiments where we hope to assess pheromone function beyond typical mate choice contexts.

References

1. Jacob, S., S. Garcia, et al. (2002). "Psychological effects of musky compounds: Comparison of androstadienone with androstenol and muscone." Hormones and Behavior 42(3): 274-283.

2. Jacob, S., L. H. Kinnunen, et al. (2001). "Sustained human chemosignal unconsciously alters brain function." Neuroreport 12(11): 2391-2394.

3. Lundström, J. N., M. Goncalves, et al. (2003). "Psychological effects of subthreshold exposure to the putative human pheromone 4,16-androstadien-3-one." Hormones and Behavior 44(5): 395-401.

4. Saxton, T. K., A. C. Little, et al. (2008). Ecological validity in the study of human pheromones. Chemical Siganls in Vertebrates 11. H. J.L, B. R.J, R. S.C and W. T.D. New York, Springer: 111-120.

5. Saxton, T. K., A. Lyndon, et al. (2008). "Evidence that androstadienone, a putative human chemosignal, modulates women's attributions of men's attractiveness." Hormones and Behavior 54(5): 597-601.

Conference: Summer School on Human Olfaction, Dresden, Germany, 19 Jul - 25 Jul, 2009.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Abstracts

Citation: Murray A, Chopra A, Phillips N and Roberts C (2009). Examining the effects of the 16-androstenes; are they influenced by masking odour?. Conference Abstract: Summer School on Human Olfaction. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.09.2009.12.011

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Received: 22 Jul 2009; Published Online: 22 Jul 2009.

* Correspondence: Alice Murray, University of Liverpool, School of Biological Sciences, Wirral, United Kingdom, A.K.Murray@liv.ac.uk