View Full Version : Gay Men Respond Differently To Pheromones
Gay Men Respond Differently to Pheromones
Monday, May 9, 2005 10:09 PM EDT
The Associated Press
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
Gay men's brains respond differently from those of heterosexual males when exposed to a sexual stimulus, researchers have found. The homosexual men's brains responded more like those of women when the men sniffed a chemical from the male hormone testosterone.
"It is one more piece of evidence ... that is showing that sexual orientation is not all learned," said Sandra Witelson, an expert on brain anatomy and sexual orientation at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.
Witelson, who was not part of the research team, said the findings clearly show a biological involvement in sexual orientation.
The study, published in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was done by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
They exposed heterosexual men and women and homosexual men to chemicals derived from male and female sex hormones.
These chemicals are thought to be pheromones _ molecules known to trigger responses such as defense and sex in many animals.
Whether humans respond to pheromones has been debated, although in 2000 American researchers reported finding a gene that they believe directs a human pheromone receptor in the nose.
The Swedish study was one of a series looking at whether parts of the brain involved in reproduction differ in response to odors and pheromones, lead researcher Ivanka Savic said.
The brains of different groups responded similarly to ordinary odors such as lavender, but differed in their response to the chemicals thought to be pheromones, Savic said.
The Swedish researchers divided 36 subjects into three groups _ heterosexual men, heterosexual women and homosexual men. They studied the brain response to sniffing the chemicals, using PET scans. All the subjects were healthy, unmedicated, right-handed and HIV negative.
When they sniffed smells like cedar or lavender, all of the subjects' brains reacted only in the olfactory region that handles smells.
But when confronted by a chemical from testosterone, the male hormone, portions of the brains active in sexual activity were activated in straight women and in gay men, but not in straight men, the researchers found.
The response in gay men and straight women was concentrated in the hypothalamus with a maximum in the preoptic area that is active in hormonal and sensory responses necessary for sexual behavior, the researchers said.
And when estrogen, the female hormone was used, there was only a response in the olfactory portion of the brains of straight women. Homosexual men had their primary response also in the olfactory area, with a very small reaction in the hypothalamus, while heterosexual men responded strongly in the reproductive region of the brain.
Savic said the group is also doing a study involving homosexual women but those results are not yet complete.
In a separate study looking at people's response to the body odors of others, researchers in Philadelphia found sharp differences between gay and straight men and women.
"Our findings support the contention that gender preference has a biological component that is reflected in both the production of different body odors and in the perception of and response to body odors," said neuroscientist Charles Wysocki, who led the study.
In particular, he said, finding differences in body odors between gay and straight individuals indicates a physical difference.
It's hard to see how a simple choice to be gay or lesbian would influence the production of body odor, he said.
Wysocki's team at the Monell Chemical Senses Center studied the response of 82 heterosexual and homosexual men and heterosexual and homosexual women to the odors of underarm sweat collected from 24 donors of varied gender and sexual orientation.
They found that gay men differed from heterosexual men and women and from lesbian women, both in terms of which body odors gay men preferred and how their own body odors were regarded by the other groups.
Gay men preferred odors from gay men, while odors from gay men were the least preferred by heterosexual men and women and by lesbian women in the study. Their findings, released Monday, are to be published in the journal Psychological Science in September.
The Swedish research was funded by the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Karolinska Institute and the Magnus Bergvall Foundation. Wysocki's research was supported by the Monell Center.
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amber
05-09-2005, 11:02 PM
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting.
My pleasure! Just more proof that sexual orientation is not a choice.
amber
05-09-2005, 11:15 PM
My pleasure! Just more proof that sexual orientation is not a choice.
yeah. But most people who believe it is don't like to read about "science" :rolleyes: :laugh:
Johnny Stew
05-09-2005, 11:35 PM
My pleasure! Just more proof that sexual orientation is not a choice.No one rocks like Joe rocks. :nod:
Be it gay, straight, male or female, I'm not a big fan of body odor in general. ;) Still an interesting read though...
jbrownsjr
05-10-2005, 12:23 PM
:laugh: depends on what part of the body
:laugh: depends on what part of the body
Well I thought that might be too much information, but if you really wanna go there... ;)
jbrownsjr
05-10-2005, 01:11 PM
Well I thought that might be too much information, but if you really wanna go there... ;)
um, sure!!! :angel:
sparky
05-10-2005, 01:24 PM
This is no surprise to me. I have been yammering about it with my friends forever. In fact, I have hung out with guys before simply because the way they smelled practically made me drunk. And I am not talking about cologne. Cologne and perfume are both vile.
I doubt they will isolate specific chemicals with this study - the chemical makeup of each person is drastically different. However, I am certain half my brain was lit up like Las Vegas when the guy I mentioned got within 5 feet of me.
And the scent women have ? Makes me twitchy, claustrophobic, and irritable.
DrummerDeanna
05-10-2005, 01:32 PM
This is no surprise to me. I have been yammering about it with my friends forever. In fact, I have hung out with guys before simply because the way they smelled practically made me drunk. And I am not talking about cologne. Cologne and perfume are both vile.
I doubt they will isolate specific chemicals with this study - the chemical makeup of each person is drastically different. However, I am certain half my brain was lit up like Las Vegas when the guy I mentioned got within 5 feet of me.
And the scent women have ? Makes me twitchy, claustrophobic, and irritable.
Cologne is sort of gross - if you don't know how to wear it.
My friends and I used to have a joke - because seriously like EVERY gay man in the Las Cruces/El Paso area wore the same cologne - or knock offs of similar colognes...they all smelled the same anyway.....so now everytime I smell that scent, I stop and say..."I smell gay man!" It's not meant to be offensive....but I can't smell that cologne (or anything similar) without associating it with gay men :laugh:
sparky
05-10-2005, 01:40 PM
Cologne is sort of gross - if you don't know how to wear it.
My friends and I used to have a joke - because seriously like EVERY gay man in the Las Cruces/El Paso area wore the same cologne - or knock offs of similar colognes...they all smelled the same anyway.....so now everytime I smell that scent, I stop and say..."I smell gay man!" It's not meant to be offensive....but I can't smell that cologne (or anything similar) without associating it with gay men :laugh:
I think it's all suspect. I always wonder what sort of horrific stench people are trying to mask. But then again, I have a highly sensitive snout, and smell everything. I don't think people smell bad when undoused with fragrances. That is, if they have reasonable hygiene practices.
Ugh, the gay perfume mafia. That is SO 80's. Obsession, Polo, Drakkar Noir. Somebody save me from it all. I am thankful that it isn't hip anymore. I am a total cologne Nazi. Won't date a guy who wears it, let alone sleep with him.
I have asked one nighters to leave because of it :laugh:
I'd prefer a cigar smoker.
DrummerDeanna
05-10-2005, 02:04 PM
I think it's all suspect. I always wonder what sort of horrific stench people are trying to mask. But then again, I have a highly sensitive snout, and smell everything. I don't think people smell bad when undoused with fragrances. That is, if they have reasonable hygiene practices.
Ugh, the gay perfume mafia. That is SO 80's. Obsession, Polo, Drakkar Noir. Somebody save me from it all. I am thankful that it isn't hip anymore. I am a total cologne Nazi. Won't date a guy who wears it, let alone sleep with him.
I have asked one nighters to leave because of it :laugh:
I'd prefer a cigar smoker.
lol...well "gay man" isn't Obsession, Polo or Drakkar Noir :p I know that - but I also can't tell you what exactly it is.....some New Mexico/El Paso skank scent lol....and though it may not be hip anymore many a gay man down that way still put us through the hell of having to smell them...
Well it's not al gay men....I work with a man who apparently has to wear an entire bottle of heinous cologne every damn day. It makes me sick - he leave a scent trail everywhere he goes and it takes forever to go away...it's SO gross.....
Conversly I also hate it when women wear too much perfume - it's just disgusting...
GateandGarden
05-10-2005, 02:08 PM
Well I thought that might be too much information, but if you really wanna go there... ;):laugh::lol: That's great!
Anyway, thanks for posting this, Joe. Nice to see.
I wonder when someone's going to produce some evidence in relation to lesbians specifically? Of course, there might be some already and I just haven't seen it.
sparky
05-10-2005, 02:14 PM
lol...well "gay man" isn't Obsession, Polo or Drakkar Noir :p I know that - but I also can't tell you what exactly it is.....some New Mexico/El Paso skank scent lol....and though it may not be hip anymore many a gay man down that way still put us through the hell of having to smell them...
Well it's not al gay men....I work with a man who apparently has to wear an entire bottle of heinous cologne every damn day. It makes me sick - he leave a scent trail everywhere he goes and it takes forever to go away...it's SO gross.....
Conversly I also hate it when women wear too much perfume - it's just disgusting...
LOL. I am referring to a long gone time in the 80's when those were the stanks of choice. I don't know what it is now. And am happy to be in the dark on it.
To put the cherry on the cake, I am also allergic to a lot of of things in perfume. The worst offenders I run across are casting directors, who generally can be smelled when they are in a car next to you on the freeway. Unfortunately, I have had offices next to them frequently. Once, this poor, haggard crank of a woman I worked by wore so much Opium or Poison, that I literally could smell her when she walked into the building. It got so bad that eventually within five minutes of her arrival every morning I had a headache and my eyes were watering. I asked her to please tone it down and she never spoke to me again. Her assistant said she didn't even smell it. Her sense of smell had been completely eradicated by her three pack a day Virginia Slims habit. On top of that, she looked like one of the trees from the Wizard of Oz. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.
The Tower
05-10-2005, 02:22 PM
Well I thought that might be too much information, but if you really wanna go there... ;)
I was thinking about "going there", but it seems that I'm the one to always pervs-up threads around here so I figured I'd pass.
This is no surprise to me. I have been yammering about it with my friends forever. In fact, I have hung out with guys before simply because the way they smelled practically made me drunk.
Fresh, clean, "Man-smell" is quite euphoric. There is nothing like it.
Cologne and perfume are both vile.
I wear cologne, but nothing I would consider nasty and not bucketsful like some people I know.
And the scent women have ? Makes me twitchy, claustrophobic, and irritable.
No offense to women, but I can't handle any olfactory stuff related to females. I tolerate it, because I have a lot of good women friends whom I much love and adore. :shrug:
Cologne is sort of gross - if you don't know how to wear it.
:nod: :nod: :nod:
I wonder when someone's going to produce some evidence in relation to lesbians specifically?
I ain't touching this one with a 39 1/2 foot pole..... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Once, this poor, haggard crank of a woman I worked by wore so much Opium or Poison, that I literally could smell her when she walked into the building.
Nazzty.
Her sense of smell had been completely eradicated by her three pack a day Virginia Slims habit. On top of that, she looked like one of the trees from the Wizard of Oz. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.
That's the smell that makes me want to puke- stale cigarette stench. THE WORST!!!!
:laugh::lol: That's great!
Anyway, thanks for posting this, Joe. Nice to see.
I wonder when someone's going to produce some evidence in relation to lesbians specifically? Of course, there might be some already and I just haven't seen it.
Well, there's the ring finger theory.. if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, you're 'it' ;)
Very scientific!
My mum has that long finger, but I guess she just 'doesn't know' yet :D
DrummerDeanna
05-10-2005, 02:58 PM
LOL. I am referring to a long gone time in the 80's when those were the stanks of choice. I don't know what it is now. And am happy to be in the dark on it.
To put the cherry on the cake, I am also allergic to a lot of of things in perfume. The worst offenders I run across are casting directors, who generally can be smelled when they are in a car next to you on the freeway. Unfortunately, I have had offices next to them frequently. Once, this poor, haggard crank of a woman I worked by wore so much Opium or Poison, that I literally could smell her when she walked into the building. It got so bad that eventually within five minutes of her arrival every morning I had a headache and my eyes were watering. I asked her to please tone it down and she never spoke to me again. Her assistant said she didn't even smell it. Her sense of smell had been completely eradicated by her three pack a day Virginia Slims habit. On top of that, she looked like one of the trees from the Wizard of Oz. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.
*shudder* That? Is just gross....but good for you for asking her to tone down the perfume...too bad it didn't work.
People are always making fun of this guy here who wears too much cologne...the worst though is this sort-friend of mine...
She's a big ole' lesbian - and is crushing on me - but is totally fu**ed up and I will not date her. ever. Anyway - she wears "gay man" and WAY too much of it...it grosses me out -I refuse to ride inher car anymore because it REEKS.
She's starting to get suspicious now because I never get into the car with her lol...but yeah - within minutes my head is just pounding from that nasty smell...
ontheEdgeof17
05-10-2005, 02:59 PM
Well, there's the ring finger theory.. if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, you're 'it' ;)
Very scientific!
My mum has that long finger, but I guess she just 'doesn't know' yet :D
Mine isn't. I'm not really gay?!@#!!?! :shocked: Or does this just pertain to lesbians?
My. life. is. shattered.
DrummerDeanna
05-10-2005, 03:15 PM
Mine isn't. I'm not really gay?!@#!!?! :shocked: Or does this just pertain to lesbians?
My. life. is. shattered.
lol...I think that just applies to lesbians...:shrug:
Hmm....uh oh...my ring fingers are longer than my pointer fingers...does this mean I'm totally gay?
Johnny Stew
05-10-2005, 04:50 PM
I used to wear Obsession For Men... not every day, but occasionally. And a tasteful amount. I don't like when people reek of cologne or perfume, nor do I want to be one of those people.
I think the trick is finding a cologne/perfume that works well with your natural scent.
Add me to the list of guys who prefer natural smelling men though. That musky smell drives me wild. Not talking about B.O., of course... just something... manly. *growls*
To this day, I can remember vividly my first boyfriend's scent. He proved to be an asshole, but at least he smelled good and was a fantastic kisser. :laugh:
jbrownsjr
05-10-2005, 04:56 PM
I used to wear Obsession For Men... not every day, but occasionally. And a tasteful amount. I don't like when people reek of cologne or perfume, nor do I want to be one of those people.
I think the trick is finding a cologne/perfume that works well with your natural scent.
Add me to the list of guys who prefer natural smelling men though. That musky smell drives me wild. Not talking about B.O., of course... just something... manly. *growls*
To this day, I can remember vividly my first boyfriend's scent. He proved to be an asshole, but at least he smelled good and was a fantastic kisser. :laugh:
You dated Stevie Nicks too!!!!! :p
I was thinking about "going there", but it seems that I'm the one to always pervs-up threads around here so I figured I'd pass.
Proud to be a perv :woohoo: ;)
GateandGarden
05-10-2005, 05:26 PM
Once, this poor, haggard crank of a woman I worked by wore so much Opium or Poison, that I literally could smell her when she walked into the building. See, most of the people I know like that. :shrug: My Mom wears Estee Lauder's Knowing and people are always saying "You smell so good! What is it? Where do I get it?" I wear perfume, too--Estee Lauder's Intuition, but I don't wear as much as my Mom does. But I still get comments from people like she does. :shrug: I like it if someone doesn't bathe in it. There are some women I've had crushes on who wore specific perfumes, and whenever those particular scents are around me I just start swooning and getting all nostalgic. :o:lol:
sparky
05-10-2005, 08:03 PM
To this day, I can remember vividly my first boyfriend's scent. He proved to be an asshole, but at least he smelled good and was a fantastic kisser. :laugh:
Frequently the ones who smell great are jerks. Go figure. I think they are just genetically wired to mate and bolt.
lol...I think that just applies to lesbians...:shrug:
Hmm....uh oh...my ring fingers are longer than my pointer fingers...does this mean I'm totally gay?
Yes, you are! No denying it. :laugh:
And Curtis, I'm sorry, but you're not a lesbian. Hope you won't go into identity crises now.
Mine of course are just as long as my index fingers, I really ám bi :D
tynan88
05-13-2005, 04:23 AM
Yes, you are! No denying it. :laugh:
And Curtis, I'm sorry, but you're not a lesbian. Hope you won't go into identity crises now.
Mine of course are just as long as my index fingers, I really ám bi :D
Which one is index and which one is ring?
GateandGarden
05-13-2005, 11:10 AM
Which one is index and which one is ring?Index is the one closest to your thumb and ring is the one closest to your pinkie.
My ring finger is like, a micrometer longer than my index finger.
tynan88
05-15-2005, 06:44 AM
It must only be for lesbians, because my ring finger is waaaaaayyy longer than my index finger.
of course it is, because it has something to do with male hormones.
GateandGarden
05-15-2005, 08:26 AM
of course it is, because it has something to do with male hormones.Really? I didn't realize male hormones had something to do with finger length. :shrug: Well, there's a lot I don't know about hormones, generally speaking.
But on that note I have to say that a part of me cringes whenever any kind of scientific evidence pertaining to causes and/or explanations of homosexuality surfaces. I imagine how the religious right will take it and use it to their advantage. They'll say how science explains how this anomaly that is homosexuality happens and say that science and prayer can be used to prevent it, and then they'll try to put it in the DSM-IV because all these scientific explanations say to them that there's definitely something wrong with it.
And this whole notion about the male hormones has always bothered me. When people want to say I have more male hormones because I'm a lesbian, that sounds inherently homophobic to me, like I have to be more manly to like women in "that way." I'm a woman who likes women and I'm about as womanly as they come. :shrug:
Oh yeah, and god knows they won't explain bisexuality. It's no one even interested in tackling that. Maybe there is no definitive way to tackle the sexual orientation issue, anyway. I think people should just take it for what it is. If you actually need scientific evidence to believe that it isn't someone's choice, then that scientifc evidence probably won't convince you, anyway.
[/end rant]
Really? I didn't realize male hormones had something to do with finger length. :shrug: Well, there's a lot I don't know about hormones, generally speaking.
But on that note I have to say that a part of me cringes whenever any kind of scientific evidence pertaining to causes and/or explanations of homosexuality surfaces. I imagine how the religious right will take it and use it to their advantage. They'll say how science explains how this anomaly that is homosexuality happens and say that science and prayer can be used to prevent it, and then they'll try to put it in the DSM-IV because all these scientific explanations say to them that there's definitely something wrong with it.
And this whole notion about the male hormones has always bothered me. When people want to say I have more male hormones because I'm a lesbian, that sounds inherently homophobic to me, like I have to be more manly to like women in "that way." I'm a woman who likes women and I'm about as womanly as they come. :shrug:
Oh yeah, and god knows they won't explain bisexuality. It's no one even interested in tackling that. Maybe there is no definitive way to tackle the sexual orientation issue, anyway. I think people should just take it for what it is. If you actually need scientific evidence to believe that it isn't someone's choice, then that scientifc evidence probably won't convince you, anyway.
[/end rant]
I can understand how you feel about this... it's a funny thing to do with lesbian friends, check your finger lengths, but like I said, my mum has it too :D
Frankly, I think the religious right will use anything that will come handy, whether there would be some kind of scientific evidence or there wouldn't be any. They just use whatever they can to make their point.
It's difficult enough to accept your own les/bi identity without all that crap on the side anyway. And are the girls with shorter ringfingers now supposed to go "oh no, I'm not really a lesbian! I've been living a lieeee!" ?!?
Actually, I think it shouldn't even matter whether it is someone's choice or not. Just live and let live. Um, end rant..
But if you are curious, the way I heard it, it has to do with male hormones during conception. I guess some of these scientific researches stem from a time when homosexuality was still officially a mental illness (shudder), as some kind of counter argument or something. I think they're kind of funny anyway. Don't take it too heavy ;)
How I love the BBC.
Here's a link for you: the bbc about testosterone (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4202199.stm)
Apparently finger length can also say something about your ability to park a car! :lol:
GateandGarden
05-15-2005, 09:21 AM
I can understand how you feel about this... it's a funny thing to do with lesbian friends, check your finger lengths, but like I said, my mum has it too :D
Frankly, I think the religious right will use anything that will come handy, whether there would be some kind of scientific evidence or there wouldn't be any. They just use whatever they can to make their point.
It's difficult enough to accept your own les/bi identity without all that crap on the side anyway. And are the girls with shorter ringfingers now supposed to go "oh no, I'm not really a lesbian! I've been living a lieeee!" ?!?
Actually, I think it shouldn't even matter whether it is someone's choice or not. Just live and let live. Um, end rant..
But if you are curious, the way I heard it, it has to do with male hormones during conception. I guess some of these scientific researches stem from a time when homosexuality was still officially a mental illness (shudder), as some kind of counter argument or something. I think they're kind of funny anyway. Don't take it too heavy ;)
Thank you for that post. :) :xoxo:
GateandGarden
05-15-2005, 09:22 AM
How I love the BBC.
Here's a link for you: the bbc about testosterone (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4202199.stm)
Apparently finger length can also say something about your ability to park a car! :lol::lol::lol:
No one rocks like Joe rocks. :nod:
Dude, you're a helluva close second! :] :xoxo:
Interesting comments everyone. I DO NOT LIKE ODORS! :lol:
Johnny Stew
05-20-2005, 09:56 PM
Frankly, I think the religious right will use anything that will come handy, whether there would be some kind of scientific evidence or there wouldn't be any. They just use whatever they can to make their point.Truer words haven't been spoken. :nod:
Johnny Stew
05-20-2005, 09:58 PM
Dude, you're a helluva close second! :] :xoxo:Why, thank you, kind sir. :o :xoxo:
Interesting comments everyone. I DO NOT LIKE ODORS! :lol:Odors, no... but certain natural scents are quite sexy. *growls*
Odors, no... but certain natural scents are quite sexy. *growls*
I love it when you growl...will you call me tonight?! :D
SuzeQuze
05-20-2005, 10:22 PM
But not over done. There is a club here where every guy you pass is wearing something and I just go insane. Sense of smell is most tied into your emotions (desires) and if someone smells REALLY good to you then you're 75% there. :lol: Too bad the jackasses that smell good act like idiots and ruin it. :laugh:
Too bad the jackasses that smell good act like idiots and ruin it. :laugh:
Beg your pardon? :laugh:
Johnny Stew
05-20-2005, 10:30 PM
Frequently the ones who smell great are jerks. Go figure. I think they are just genetically wired to mate and bolt.Sounds like him all right! :laugh:
But he was a lot of fun while it lasted! :cool:
Johnny Stew
05-20-2005, 10:31 PM
I love it when you growl...will you call me tonight?! :DGuys also seem to be quite fond of my purr. ;)
Guys also seem to be quite fond of my purr. ;)
Would that be like the Catwoman purr, you know like Eartha Kitt used to do on Batman? I've always found that to be very sexually arousing. :lol:
SuzeQuze
05-20-2005, 10:43 PM
Beg your pardon? :laugh:
:lol: The straight dudes in the suits that wear their shades out, you know the type, right? :laugh:
Johnny Stew
05-20-2005, 11:58 PM
Would that be like the Catwoman purr, you know like Eartha Kitt used to do on Batman? I've always found that to be very sexually arousing. :lol:That'd be the purr! :angel:
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