Effects of the odorant Hedione on the human stress response

Abstract

Olfactory cues can affect subjective and autonomic manifestations of the human stress response, but evidence of altered endocrine stress reactivity is inconclusive. In the present study, we investigated effects of the odorant Hedione on the human stress response. We exposed 56 women in their follicular phases to a stressor in a room scented with Hedione or no odor. Subjective stress was captured via repeated self-report measurements and the assessment of anticipatory appraisal. As physiological markers of stress, we assessed blood pressure, salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase. The odorant enhanced the cortisol and cardiovascular stress response while leaving subjective stress unaffected. Our results provide evidence for a modulation of the human response to acute psychosocial stress by Hedione. A potential mechanism underlying this effect is Hedione targeting the hypothalamus via binding to the VN1R1 receptor, which is expressed on the human nasal mucosa.