Back to Search
Start Over
Volatile signals during pregnancy.
- Source :
-
Vitamins and hormones [Vitam Horm] 2010; Vol. 83, pp. 289-304. - Publication Year :
- 2010
-
Abstract
- Scents play a key role in mediating reproductive interactions in many vertebrates including mammals. Nowadays, several studies indicate that humans seem to use remarkably olfactory communication and are even able to produce and perceive pheromones. Furthermore, over the past several years, it became increasingly clear that pheromone-like chemical signals probably play a role in offspring identification and mother recognition. Recently developed technical procedures (solid-phase microextraction and dynamic headspace extraction) now allow investigators to characterize volatile compounds with high reliability. We analyzed the volatile compounds in sweat patch samples collected from the para-axillary and nipple-areola regions of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. We hypothesized that, at the time of birth and during the first weeks of life, the distinctive olfactory pattern of the para-axillary area is probably useful to newborn babies for recognizing and distinguishing their own mother, whereas the characteristic pattern of the nipple-areola region is probably useful as a guide to nourishment.<br /> (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Animals
Female
Fetal Development
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Maternal Behavior physiology
Pheromones physiology
Pheromones, Human metabolism
Postpartum Period metabolism
Volatile Organic Compounds metabolism
Odorants
Olfactory Perception physiology
Pheromones, Human physiology
Pregnancy metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0083-6729
- Volume :
- 83
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Vitamins and hormones
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 20831951
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/S0083-6729(10)83012-2