Pheromones

I’ve always found pheromones to be an interesting topic, pheromones are chemicals released by an animal that affects the behaviors of a member in the same species, pheromones are picked up by vomeronasal organ (VNO) which is separate from the olfactory receptors but near them. VNO respond constantly to pheromones, while olfactory receptors get used to the smell after a while so you don’t seem to notice it. Compared to other species, we humans have very little VNO’s, because we hardly use them so we don’t need as many receptors as other species do.

Pheromones effects on behavior are at the unconscious level, in other words most people can’t smell pheromones but yet they react to it, pheromones even take a role in picking a partner, because the immune system affects our pheromones, people can find a more suited partner, genetically, that way the off springs have a better immune system hence higher chances of surviving according to this article.

Pheromones seem to affect more females than males, exposure of chemical from the opposite sex seemed to have some effects on the subjects, like the changing of skin temperature, other autonomic responses, and increased activity on the hypothalamus. Some studies have found that when females are near ovulation, it increases the release of testosterone on males near by and that the smell of a man causes a release in cortisol for women, other studies have shown that when women are near each other, example they live together, they get on the same menstruating cycle, if they are not on contraceptives.