Influence of the Human Menstrual Cycle on the Perception of Musks and Substances Responsible for Body Odour

Autor: Damjan Janeš, Nina Kočevar Glavač, Karsten Fatur, Samo Kreft, Dominik Nabergoj
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology. 56:565-576
ISSN: 1608-3202
0022-0930
DOI: 10.1134/s0022093020060095
Popis: Odour perception, and particularly body odour perception, is involved in many behavioural patterns related to reproduction. In this research, odour perception of isolated substances was compared in different phases of the menstrual cycle. 229 women (and 62 men for comparison) assessed the intensity, pleasantness, and attractiveness of 17 substances (6 components of body odour, 2 pheromones, 8 musks, and spermine). Variation in odour perception between males and females was most obvious in regard to body odours, with females tending to perceive higher intensity, lower pleasantness, and lower attractiveness than their male counterparts. Perception of the odours in females significantly changed during the menstrual cycle only for three substances: improved perception of musk (ambroxide) during the follicular (fertile) phase, as well as for body odour components methyl nonanoate and methyl octanoate during the luteal (non-fertile) phase.
Databáze: OpenAIRE