Responsiveness of human neonates to the odor of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one: A behavioral paradox?

Loos HM, Doucet S, Soussignan R, Hartmann C, Durand K, Dittrich R, Sagot P, Büttner A, Schaal B (2014)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Journal

Chemical Senses Oxford University Press

Pages Range: 693-703

DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bju041

Abstract

The odorous steroid 5α-androst-16-en-3-one (AND) occurs in numerous biological fluids in mammals, including man, where it is believed to play a chemocommunicative role. As AND was recently detected in milk and amniotic fluid, sensitivity and hedonic responses to this substance were assessed in human neonates. To this aim, respiration and facial expressions were recorded in 3-day-old newborns in response to aqueous solutions of AND, ranging from 500ng/mL to 0.5 fg/mL. Although analyses of respiratory rate did not lead to clear-cut results, the newborns changed their facial expressions at concentrations not detected by adults in a triangle test. Newborns displayed negative facial actions of longer duration to AND relative to an odorless control. Thus, AND may be considered to be offensive to newborns, which is a counterintuitive outcome as they are exposed to this compound in the womb (and it should therefore be familiar), in milk, and on the mother's skin surface (and it should therefore be conditioned as positive). Multiple reasons for this perceptual-behavioral paradox are discussed.

Authors with CRIS profile

Ralf Dittrich Professur für Experimentelle Reproduktionsmedizin Andrea Büttner Lehrstuhl für Aroma- und Geruchsforschung

Involved external institutions

Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté FR France (FR) Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Dijon Bourgogne FR France (FR) Fraunhofer-Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung (IVV) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Loos, H.M., Doucet, S., Soussignan, R., Hartmann, C., Durand, K., Dittrich, R.,... Schaal, B. (2014). Responsiveness of human neonates to the odor of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one: A behavioral paradox? Chemical Senses, 693-703. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bju041

MLA:

Loos, Helene M., et al. "Responsiveness of human neonates to the odor of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one: A behavioral paradox?" Chemical Senses (2014): 693-703.

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