MEMEHUNTER

Epiphany

But WHY pheromones? WHY study them? Just because other mammals use them, what possible ground is there for making the initial assumption that humans use them too? Why should people become more sensitive to them at various times? WHY should social condition and mating strategy POSSIBLY effect detection ability of pheromones? HOW would that work anyway? What's the mechanism? HOW? DAMMIT HOW?

Such were the questions rolling around in my head this weekend. Facing the very realy possibility that anyone asking me that question in a formal academic situation would be faced with a sage nod and "that's a very good question, I'm afraid we don't have an easy answer at the moment" (which is Academic for "fucked if I know").

Until yesterday.

"...the hormone GnRH appears to be in a position to serve as a coordinating system for the multitude of events occuring during reproduction, including changes in olfactory sensitivity to pheromones."

Oh thank you Wirsig-Wiechmann, Celeste (2001). In 5 pages you have saved my PhD.

Who'd have thought it? One hormone conrols not only aspects of reproductive decision making, but also olfaction... how fantastic. Not just of primates, either. Nor just mammals. ALL THE VERTEBRATES. Oh, except sharks, it seems.

I grin.

So, here's to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. Long may it continue to stimulate the nervus terminalis whilst simultaneously releasing FSH and LH into the vertebrate system.

Yeeha.

posted by Memehunter @ 1:51 PM