The term “pheromone” is a Greek word; “pherein” means to carry and “hormone” to excite. The term was introduced in 1959 and refers to ecto-hormones that are transported outside the body and have the potential of evoking certain responses such as hormonal (physiological) or behavioral changes (Brown, LeMay and Bursten 4). Pheromones are thus defined as social- environment chemical stimuli such as odors and are produced by one individual and detected by another of the same species. Generally, pheromones draw out physiological and behavioral changes that are expected to benefit both individuals. Pheromones are detected by an organ called the Vomeronasal Organ (VNO) inside the nose of mammals (Fig. 2). After the VNO detects the pheromone, a signal is sent to the brain. The response appears to be subconscious, feeling of attraction, arousal and excitement (Bieber, p. 852).
The human pheromones are type of subconscious seduction for the reason that the process takes place without the person involved really knowing that he/she is responding to an odor. Therefore, the human pheromone draws out changes in the physiology and or behavior of the two individuals. This class of pheromones has been scientifically identified as chemical triggers to sexual attraction between two individuals. The evidence accumulated so far suggests that there are four types of pheromones in human chemical communication. These include; primers, signalers, modulators and releasers. The axilla is a unique source of human odor because it contains a high density of eccrine glands, large number of sebaceous and apocrine glands. The interactios between the cutaneous microflora abd skin secretins lead to a complex mix of odorants. The human axillary extracts contain a complex mixture of volatile chemicals. One or more of these volatile molecules may have pheromones. They are secreted in hairy areas to increase the surface area of dispersal, are warmed to increase volatilization and are placed at the level of the nose of the recipient. The sexual attraction pheromone was apparent in the animal kingdom as it explained how animal selected their mating partners. The chemical scent contained in pheromones triggers the part of the brain where the sexual attraction feeling begins. Once the powerful feeling of sexual attraction sets in, it makes a person more attentive and receptive to the person who is the source of that attraction (pheromone). Human pheromones influence a pulsatile intra-cerebral gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) response which appears to be genetically directed. In addition, it also correlates well with cellular activities in the central nervous system that links with behavior change. The GnRH plays a vital role in sexual development and behavior which involves the interconnection of human pheromones and their effect on a genetically GnRH response and behaviors. Human sexuality is conditioned via a neuro-endocrine response to olfactory stimuli which are paired with subliminally detected sensory stimuli. The human pheromone influences the GnRH pulses of hypothalamic function which are important to persons falling in love. This involves the neuro-endocrine sequence of events in the following order; the cells in the preoptic-septal area of the brain secrete GnRH directly into the hypothalamicญhypophyseal portal system to the anterior pituitary, secondly pulses of GnRH trigger cells in the anterior pituitary to secrete the gonadotropins which enter the blood circulation and finally the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the secretion of steroid hormones. The pulsating degree of GnRH is associated with changes in LH and in FSH pulses. The ratios of LH/FSH influence gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis. Testosterone (T) is the predominant androgen in male and estradiol (E) is the predominant estrogen in female which maintain the secondary sexual characteristics and down regulate the gonadotropins(Doty, p. 501). The mammalian neuronal apoptosis and the synaptogenesis are modulated by T and E. a number of studies have shown link between olfactory-genetic-neural-hormonal and pheromones. Other studies have shown that the pheromones of women control their ovulation by affecting the levels of LH and FSH. Progesterone pheromone influences the LH pulsatility in men and therefore human pheromones elicit changes in hormones.
Many studies have recently suggested that human produce pheromones and the influence of GnRH on the levels of other hormones is evident in the following areas; during the first few hours of birth, the levels of LH and of T in male neonate increases, the human ovarian synchrony and its disruption may be managed both by a common air supplied by E secretion which is influenced by female pheromone production and in homosexual partners the entrainment of hormone cycles may be explained by pheromone production. In addition, some men exposed to the ovulatory “copulins” of women result in an increase in testosterone (Doty, p. 501). This is an advantage to unattractive women who in presence of their pheromones stimulate a male sexual response similar to that induced by attractive women. It is suggested that early prenatal development of the olfactory systems and the GnRH neuronal system allows postnatal exposure to pheromones to exert organizational and activation effects on their sexual behaviors. However, the influence of human pheromones on the GnRH neuronal systems or lack of it is an etiological factor involving either endocrine or neurodegenerative age related disorders (Fleck, p. 45). Pheromones are found commercially (e.g. primal perfume, Fig. 3) and have a number of benefits. They make attraction to someone special easy, a person becomes more sexually attractive, rejuvenation of a current relationship, more eye contact and someone from the opposite sex, more passionate love making, increased self confidence and better business relationships. Pheromones in the market cater to the varied needs of customers. And since human pheromones are required for attraction, majorities contain androstenone.
References
- Bieber, I. Olfaction in sexual development and adult sexual organization. American Journal of Psychotherapy 13 (1959): 851-9
- Brown, E., LeMay, E., and Bursten, B. Chemistry: The Central Science. Prentice Hall: NY, USA, 1993.
- Doty, R.L. Reproductive endocrine influences upon olfactory perception: A current perspective. Journal of Chemical Ecology 12 (1986): 497-511
- Fleck, L. Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1979.
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