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Researchers Claim Pheromones Trigger Brain Cell Growth

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the crack-open-the-smelling-smarts dept.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is reporting that pheromones could enable the growth of new brain cells. "Pheromone signals from dominant males spark new brain cells in their female partners and could help repair injured brains, suggests a new study by a University of Calgary neuroscientist. Sam Weiss's findings, in the July issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience, provide evidence that pheromones -- subtle chemical signatures that influence mating behavior -- can control stem cells in the brain."

16 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Oh really now? by Icarus1919 · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's funny, I generally find that people become dumber when pheromones are involved.

    1. Re:Oh really now? by spikesahead · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Of course, new brain cells don't mean more intelligence.

      New brain cells will accelerate learning and cement patterns in place. If people under the influence learn dumb patterns they will find it harder to break out of those patterns later.

      This is probably one of the major reasons women in abusive relationships can't seem to break away from their abusers. The patterns of behavior become ingrained through this process.

      --
      bend like the reed
  2. That's why I by goombah99 · · Score: 4, Funny

    sniff bicycle seats. Honest. Brain growth

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  3. Unfortunately, you're not going to find by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    many dominant males here.

  4. Yet another loser nerd pickup line by eclectro · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah baby! Do you wanna smell my underarm??

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
    1. Re:Yet another loser nerd pickup line by catwh0re · · Score: 3, Funny

      Your Honour, it's evolutionary proof that you're supposed to hit them on the head and drag em back to your cave. See the article; they're built for it!

  5. Sooo... by Khyber · · Score: 3, Funny

    what would be the effects in same-sex couples? Would be nice to know if this worked, then I could go to my submissive hubby and go "take a whiff, you'll get smarter!"

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    1. Re:Sooo... by bl8n8r · · Score: 3, Insightful

      >Why is it that people insist on thinking that same-sex couples are exactly analogous to opposite-sex couples?

      A need for validation.

      --
      boycott slashdot February 10th - 17th check out: altSlashdot.org
  6. Human Alpha Males? by Hiween · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The question is how did they choose the dominant males and the subordinate?. You can well go to a company and test with a Manager and young new employee, but I don't think that biologically there are any significant difference (at least not correlated with the dominant/subordinate biological trait). The article is pretty short on details of how the test was conducted.

    1. Re:Human Alpha Males? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You can well go to a company and test with a Manager and young new employee, but I don't think that biologically there are any significant difference (at least not correlated with the dominant/subordinate biological trait).

      Are you kidding? Very senior managers are exactly analogous to the silverback gorillas, the pack alpha males. Middle managers are more like their bitches to be honest than alpha males, though they'll bare their fangs at subordinates a bit if they can get away with it. Mind you as you go down the hierarchy it quickly becomes more meritocratic, mostly because it has to be if the troup is to survive. But watch some documentaries about primates and suddenly the management culture of companies, particularly small ones, will suddenly be sickeningly comprehensible.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  7. So the truth is finally revealed... by SixDimensionalArray · · Score: 4, Funny

    Glad to lay this ages old argument to rest.. women are actually smarter than men.. but because men's pheromones make them that way?!?!

    I sense a disturbance in the force! It's as if a million feminists shouted out at once and were suddenly silenced, if not utterly confused!

    SixD

  8. It all makes sense by ls671 · · Score: 3, Funny

    According to the bible, God created Adam and Eve was created from Adam's rib. Now, God had to find a way to put brain cells in Eve's head ;-)

    --
    Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
  9. So The Cure For Alzheimer's Is... by Petersko · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...regular attendance at WWE events!

    Who woulda thunk it?

  10. Guys: For the sake of women's brains . . . by StefanJ · · Score: 3, Funny

    . . . DON'T SHOWER!

  11. About pheromones by Maxo-Texas · · Score: 3, Interesting


    Here are the basic types
    N = Androstenone R = Androsterone L = Androstenol
    D = Androstadienone B = Beta-androstenol C = Copulins

    Androstenone is lust/alpha. I've been told by women this "smells like man".
    Androsterone is warm/father/trust type. Promotes conversation in both sexes.
    Copulins have been shown to raise testosterone levels in about 20 minutes in healthy males (something females would use normally).

    These work. In extremely tiny quantities. On about 40% of females in my experience and dramatically for about 15%. They are excellent for males with naturally low alpha pheromones including aging males (like me). If you overdose you will get into fights in bars, get headaches, and scare away females- you have been warned.

    The rest (and oxytocin (sp?)) I haven't had luck with. They will not overcome yellow dirty teeth, bad B/O, acting like a wimp, hideous fashion sense. They give an edge and multiply positive emotions. They do not fix or overcome massive negative emotions. So dress well, have good hygiene, be cocky/funny, and add these in and you will have better luck. For the ladies, adding copulins in makes males more aggressive (if you like that).

    They are not cheap. They are not expensive. $29 to $79 for about 6 months supply.

    I use love-scent but there are other sites. I was attracted to love-scent because it has a long deep history and they had a research bias in their forums.

    We are not dogs or insects. The brain matters. Both of you getting drunk will probably have a stronger effect than mones.

    --
    She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
  12. Dominate males don't abuse women... by PetoskeyGuy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is probably one of the major reasons women in abusive relationships can't seem to break away from their abusers. The patterns of behavior become ingrained through this process.

    One thing to remember is that men who abuse women are almost always NOT dominate / alpha males. My wife worked as a social worker for many years and I've had first hand experience with abusive guys. They abuse women because that allows them to have at least one person beneath them and work out their aggression at being such inferior guys themselves. That's also why most abusers commit suicide after they break and kill their ex's. They're too scared to go to prison.

    Think back to Robert Heinlein - "Never frighten a little man. He'll kill you"