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Thread: FEAR ME

  1. #1

    Default FEAR ME

    The Vomeronasal Organ Mediates Interspecies Defensive Behaviors through Detection of Protein Pheromone Homologs

    * Highlights
    * Mice display innate fear-like behavior to diverse predator odors
    * Mup proteins purified from cats and rats are sufficient to evoke this behavior
    * Vomeronasal sensory neurons are necessary for both detection and response
    * Predator Mups and mouse Mup pheromones activate different subsets of neurons

    * Summary
    * Potential predators emit uncharacterized chemosignals that warn receiving species of danger. Neurons that sense these stimuli remain unknown. Here we show that detection and processing of fear-evoking odors emitted from cat, rat, and snake require the function of sensory neurons in the vomeronasal organ. To investigate the molecular nature of the sensory cues emitted by predators, we isolated the salient ligands from two species using a combination of innate behavioral assays in naive receiving animals, calcium imaging, and c-Fos induction. Surprisingly, the defensive behavior-promoting activity released by other animals is encoded by species-specific ligands belonging to the major urinary protein (Mup) family, homologs of aggression-promoting mouse pheromones. We show that recombinant Mup proteins are sufficient to activate sensory neurons and initiate defensive behavior similarly to native odors. This co-option of existing sensory mechanisms provides a molecular solution to the difficult problem of evolving a variety of species-specific molecular detectors.[/url]
    Woot! Smell me and cower!

    Surprising? Surprising to whom? Dogs peeing on trees? Cats peeing on bushes? I'd say it was freaking likely that a fear signal was comprised at least in part by components of predator's urine.


    My speculation: I'm almost certain that there are similar things in play with humans. perhaps not fear, but some complex behavioral modifiers, especially wrt mate selection, but probably aggression, social heirarchy, etc. I know a lot of the sensory bio folks think that there are a lot of pheromones etc that influence human behavior. There's spotty research that's pretty compelling on this score, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. Hard to study, since you can't put humans through controlled experiments, plus we're too genetically heterogeneous, and thus too much experimental noise. But cool stuff.

    Now here's a thought: an online community is one of the first small-scale, interpersonal societies that functions without olfactory input. How does this alter interpersonal interactions?

  2. #2
    Can this stuff keep rats out of my attic?

    Back on topic, I believe visual perceptions are much more important to personal interactions than smell. Online interaction are probably affected by lack of smell to a less extent than the lack of visual input.
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  3. #3
    De Oppresso Liber CitizenCain's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ']['ear View Post
    Now here's a thought: an online community is one of the first small-scale, interpersonal societies that functions without olfactory input. How does this alter interpersonal interactions?
    Well, I don't get to piss on you over the internet, which is kind of a drag, to be honest.
    "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

    "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

    -- Thomas Jefferson: American Founding Father, clairvoyant and seditious traitor.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Being View Post
    Back on topic, I believe visual perceptions are much more important to personal interactions than smell. Online interaction are probably affected by lack of smell to a less extent than the lack of visual input.
    Possibly, but I know people have already studied/are studying the consequences of lack of visual interaction. I'll bet there's damn little research being done on the implications of a lack of olfactory interaction.
    Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"

  5. #5
    I suppose they could just look at the interactions of smokers.

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