PMID- 10944504
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20000914
LR  - 20190513
IS  - 0379-864X (Print)
IS  - 0379-864X (Linking)
VI  - 25
IP  - 4
DP  - 2000 Aug
TI  - Positive relationship between menstrual synchrony and ability to smell 
      5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol.
PG  - 407-11
AB  - To explore the possibility that compounds which were identified as pheromones in 
      experimental animals mediate human menstrual synchrony, we examined the 
      relationship between menstrual synchrony and the ability to smell putative 
      pheromones, 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol (3alpha-androstenol) and 
      5alpha-androst-16-en-3-one (5alpha-androstenone). When we examined menstrual 
      synchrony among 64 women living together in a college dormitory, we found that 24 
      (38%) of them became synchronized with room-mates in 3 months. Afterwards, 
      dilution series of 3alpha-androstenol and 5alpha-androstenone and the control 
      odorant (pyridine) were presented to the 64 women and sensitivity to the odors 
      was compared between synchronized and non-synchronized women. No difference was 
      found between the two groups of women in the detection threshold for pyridine, 
      indicating that general olfactory ability did not differ between them. The 
      detection threshold for 3alpha-androstenol of synchronized women was 
      significantly lower than that of non-synchronized women, but no difference in the 
      threshold for 5alpha-androstenone was found between synchronized and 
      non-synchronized women. These results indicate that the women who showed 
      menstrual synchrony had a higher sensitivity to 3alpha-androstenol but not 
      necessarily to 5alpha-androstenone.
FAU - Morofushi, M
AU  - Morofushi M
AD  - Department of Physiology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama 
      236-0004, Japan.
FAU - Shinohara, K
AU  - Shinohara K
FAU - Funabashi, T
AU  - Funabashi T
FAU - Kimura, F
AU  - Kimura F
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - England
TA  - Chem Senses
JT  - Chemical senses
JID - 8217190
RN  - 0 (Androstenes)
RN  - 0 (Androstenols)
RN  - 0 (Pheromones)
RN  - 1153-51-1 (androst-16-en-3-ol)
RN  - 18339-16-7 (androst-16-en-3-one)
SB  - IM
MH  - Androstenes/analysis
MH  - Androstenols/analysis
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Menstruation/*physiology
MH  - Pheromones/*analysis
MH  - Sensory Thresholds
MH  - Smell/*physiology
EDAT- 2000/08/17 11:00
MHDA- 2000/09/19 11:01
CRDT- 2000/08/17 11:00
PHST- 2000/08/17 11:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2000/09/19 11:01 [medline]
PHST- 2000/08/17 11:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1093/chemse/25.4.407 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Chem Senses. 2000 Aug;25(4):407-11. doi: 10.1093/chemse/25.4.407.