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The human vomeronasal system. A review

L Monti-Bloch1, C Jennings-White, D L Berliner

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84108, USA. lmonti@hsc.utah.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|February 4, 1999
PubMed
Summary

The human vomeronasal organ (VNO) is present in adults and responds to specific chemical signals. This chemosensory system influences behavior, the nervous system, and hormone release, indicating a functional role.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Human Anatomy
  • Chemosensation

Background:

  • The human vomeronasal organ (VNO) is present in adults and develops during gestation.
  • Its unique ultrastructure features elongated bipolar microvillar cells with chemosensory properties.
  • These cells resemble those found in other mammalian chemosensory receptor cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional capabilities of the adult human VNO.
  • To explore the physiological responses and brain activation patterns associated with VNO stimulation.

Main Methods:

  • Electrovomerogram recordings to assess local organ response.
  • Behavioral and autonomic nervous system assessments.
  • Functional brain imaging (fMRI) to identify activated brain regions.

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Main Results:

  • The adult human VNO exhibits specific responses to ligands, varying by species, gender, and stereochemistry.
  • VNO stimulation triggers gender-specific behavioral changes, autonomic nervous system modulation, and gonadotropin release.
  • Brain imaging consistently showed activation in the hypothalamus, amygdala, and cingulate gyrus.

Conclusions:

  • The findings support the existence of a functional vomeronasal system in adult humans.
  • The human VNO plays a role in chemosensation, influencing physiological and behavioral responses.
  • This research opens new avenues for understanding human chemosensory perception and its impact.