Are androgen steroids acting as pheromones in humans?

Abstract

In animals, chemosensory communication is successfully used to transmit behaviourally relevant information, e.g. information about sexual status, danger and social organisation. In many instances pheromones might have evolved from hormone-like substances. Consequently, a large number of studies have been carried out in humans, in order to investigate possible pheromonal properties of androgen steroids. Besides discussing the production and perception of androgen steroids, it will primarily be questioned whether their perception can alter mood and behaviour in humans. Therefore, a study has been carried out to investigate whether local preferences can be altered through androstenone exposure. It is shown that heterosexual women and homosexual men prefer seats sprayed with androstenone. However, as this effect is positively correlated with the sensitivity to androstenone, the effect might be due to a general olfactory attraction of low androstenone concentrations. In regard to the conflicting results of studies on putative human pheromones, it will finally be discussed whether the perceptual context and the individual learning history of the perceiver contribute significantly to a successful communication of pheromonal information.