jvkohl
10-11-2006, 06:54 PM
Published yesterday:
Coureaud G, Moncomble AS, Montigny D, Dewas M, Perrier G, Schaal B. A Pheromone That
Rapidly Promotes Learning in the Newborn. Curr Biol. 2006 Oct 10;16(19):1956-1961.
Key Issue: The
unconscious affect of a rabbit pheromone can act either as a reinforcing agent, or a one-trial conditioning agent.
Reinforcement of the most likely hormone response (e.g., a downstream effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone)
could occur when the pheromone converts an associated secondary odor into a conditioned stimulus. Extension to
humans of this mammalian (i.e., rabbit) model (e.g., by me) indicates that either maternal natural body odor, or the
body odor of other people, may become a conditioned stimulus that evokes a behavioral response, even in the absence
of the pheromone during subsequent encounters. It also indicates that a single exposure to a pheromone may elicit
powerful long-term behavioral affects.
JVK
Press release added
10/12/06
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061010022813.htm
Coureaud G, Moncomble AS, Montigny D, Dewas M, Perrier G, Schaal B. A Pheromone That
Rapidly Promotes Learning in the Newborn. Curr Biol. 2006 Oct 10;16(19):1956-1961.
Key Issue: The
unconscious affect of a rabbit pheromone can act either as a reinforcing agent, or a one-trial conditioning agent.
Reinforcement of the most likely hormone response (e.g., a downstream effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone)
could occur when the pheromone converts an associated secondary odor into a conditioned stimulus. Extension to
humans of this mammalian (i.e., rabbit) model (e.g., by me) indicates that either maternal natural body odor, or the
body odor of other people, may become a conditioned stimulus that evokes a behavioral response, even in the absence
of the pheromone during subsequent encounters. It also indicates that a single exposure to a pheromone may elicit
powerful long-term behavioral affects.
JVK
Press release added
10/12/06
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061010022813.htm