The putative
pheromone androstadienone activates cortical fields in the human brain related to social cognition.
Gulyas
B, Keri S, O'Sullivan BT, Decety J, Roland PE.
Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, S-171 77
Stockholm, Sweden.
balazs.gulyas@neuro.ki.se
Abstract:
Using
15O-butanol positron emission tomography (PET), we measured regional cerebral blood flow changes in five healthy
young women during exposure to androstadienone, a putative human pheromone, as well as pleasant
(gamma-methyl-ionone), unpleasant (methyl-thio-butanoate), and neutral (dipropylene glycol; vehicle compound)
odours. Compared with the odorous substances, androstadienone activated a widely distributed neuronal network. Two
large cortical fields exhibited consistent activation in each contrast: the anterior part of the inferior lateral
prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the posterior part of the superior temporal cortex (STP). Intriguingly, these areas were
deactivated by gamma-methyl-ionone and methyl-thio-butanoate. These brain regions can be identified as cortical
fields underlying other than olfactory functions, including various aspects of social cognition and
attention.
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