Does the separation of the life partner affect the sense of smell?

A recent study found that separate mice from a man and a woman can alter the way smells smell over time.

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Researchers at the University of Wyoming, USA, investigated olfactory sensory receptors in mice and found that they were modified according to odors exposure from people of the opposite sex .

"The idea is that our experiments change our sensory system in a semi-permanent way, which is probably as true in humans as in mice," said Steven Santoro, assistant professor in the department of zoology and of physiology.

"We found that same-sex mice all the time had olfactory sensory receptors of similar composition because they smelled the same," Santoro said.

"On the other hand, the mice fed separately according to sex and sexual control have different olfactory receptors, which can lead to different odors," he said.

The recent study "Sexual Separation Promotes Differentiation of Osteoarthritis Reserves for Men and Women" was published earlier this month.

"The olfactory systems in rats and humans are very similar, so mice are a good example of how neuroscience works in general," said Santoro, who hopes the study will be applied to humans in the future. because of the similarities of odors.

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Differences in odor perception are related to genetic differences in human receptors: some researchers believe that these types of molecules may act as pheromones (chemical compounds produced by some mammals to attract and excite the opposite sex) in humans. man.

Unlike most neurons in the mammalian nervous system, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are always generated and replaced throughout life.

"Normally damaged nerve cells in humans are replaced when we have a cold or nasal spray," says Santoro.

Source: Daily Mail