title: Pleasantness of the odor of androstenone as a function of sexual intercourse experience in women and men.
abstract: Androstenone (5α-androst-16-en-3-one) and other androstenes, body odor components occurring in apocrine secretions, may play a role in human chemosignaling. We hypothesized that the odor of androstenone may gain hedonic value from sexual intercourse experiences via associative learning. Young adults (N = 397, 61.5% women, age 21-24 years, randomly sampled regarding sexual experience) rated the intensity and pleasantness of the odors of androstenone, cinnamon, chocolate, isovaleric acid, lemon, and turpentine. Among women who were able to perceive androstenone, the odor was rated as more pleasant (less unpleasant) by those who had had experienced sexual intercourse with at least one partner (n = 175) than by those who reported never having experienced intercourse (n = 12, p = .006). The difference was specific to women. The results suggest that, among women, sexual experience may modify the pleasantness of the odor of androstenone.
authors: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. antti.knaapila@gmail.com
authors: Antti
authors: A
authors: Knaapila
authors: Hely
authors: H
authors: Tuorila
authors: Eero
authors: E
authors: Vuoksimaa
authors: Kaisu
authors: K
authors: Keskitalo-Vuokko
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Rose
authors: Jaakko
authors: J
authors: Kaprio
authors: Karri
authors: K
authors: Silventoinen
mesh_terms: D000738:Androsterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014427:Twins / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000738:Androsterone