Odd Reason Some Guys Have Fewer Sex Partners By Tia Ghose, LiveScience Staff Writer | LiveScience.com

Excerpt: The researchers don’t know why romantic difficulties could be tied to smell…

My comment: At a Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality poster session earlier this month I reported on the link from human pheromones and food odors to behavior. It is via the same molecular mechanisms that have been detailed in species from microbes to man. Beginning with reports in 1971 on congenital anosmia in men’s bonding and erotic apathy (inability to fall in love), most people have ignored the obvious fact that our molecular biology is shared with every other species on the planet, and the behavior of all species is nutrient chemical-dependent and pheromone-controlled.

If you can think of one species with behavior that is not nutrient chemical-dependent and pheromone controlled and it is a non-human species, you would have an animal model for human behavior that is not known, since all other species exist or go extinct — as will ours — with the loss of olfactory acuity and specificity that enables all species, including ours, to respond to the ever-changing chemical ecology of existence. Currently, the honeybee model organism is considered to be the “canary-in-the coal-mine” indicator of how much more epigenetic toxicity our species can tolerate. We probably have many years left during which we can survive without mass extinctions/colony collapse… well, probably, I think. But maybe the reports on honeybee colony collapse should be more of a concern. Has anyone checked with Gene Robinson about that?

While its true that through my youth having anosmia caused me to miss out on different life experiences I do believe the learning curve of the condition has taken me to greater places such as here. I don't think it caused me any greater insecurities as to lets say child hood bullying or other ostracizing experiences.

I have had partners be very alarmed about my inability to smell. One didn't even want to be with me thinking that I could never fully experience her or know what love is. To her love and smell was very entwined. But I do feel emotions still and I believe I have been in love. I know what love is from my loving family. Maybe with a bad set of variables in an upbringing could bring someone with this condition to be unable to love but then that would hold the same for anyone regardless of anosmia or not.

I can definitely tell when I have certain pheromone products on. I know I like copulins too. Could this mean I may have some small percentage of smell or is there two systems at play? That would be an interesting study...

In response to the article, yes the writer is defiantly playing safe. It makes you wonder if they are writing to entertain the general population or if that is truly there level of understanding on the topic. I'd have to agree it is quite sad in either respect.

(12-01-2012 1:22 AM)TwistedOstrich Wrote:  I can definitely tell when I have certain pheromone products on. I know I like copulins too. Could this mean I may have some small percentage of smell or is there two systems at play? That would be an interesting study...

Indeed, evidence is now just coming forward that there are two systems at play, based on testing of anosmics who showed a skin conductance response to -- of all things -- androstenone. It is even more likely that a physiological response occurs in the absence skin conduction changes. I think progress has been slowed by the connection from androstenone to its use in products as a sex attractant at a time when it could be better used to tease out why there are differences in olfactory acuity and specificity that run the gamut from congenital anosmia to super-smellers.