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Male Scent Molecules May Be Compromising Biomedical Research

Posted by samzenpus on from the something-doesn't-smell-right dept.

sciencehabit (1205606) writes "Scientists have found that mice feel 36% less pain when a male researcher is in the room, versus a female researcher. The rodents are also less stressed out. The effect appears to be due to scent molecules that male mammals (including humans, dogs, and cats) have been emitting for eons. The finding could help explain why some labs have trouble replicating the results of others, and it could cause a reevaluation of decades of animal experiments: everything from the effectiveness of experimental drugs to the ability of monkeys to do math. Male odor could even influence human clinical trials."

4 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Showing pain, not feeling pain by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Further testing showed that the rodents exposed to male odors were actually feeling less pain, rather than simply hiding the pain they were in. The male aroma ramped up their stress levels, which deadened the hurt. “It’s really astounding that such a robust effect could have been missed for so many years,” Mogil says."

    RTFA.

    --
    A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
  2. Quantifying pain in mice by volvox_voxel · · Score: 5, Informative

    "The Rat Grimace Scale: A partially automated method for quantifying pain in the laboratory rat via facial expressions" http://www.molecularpain.com/c...

    Here is another paper where the researches used a patch clamp to interface the spinal cord. (A patch clamp is a very low noise/high gain amplifier that can measure single cell ion channels, etc -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...)

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pu...

    I wonder what methods are typically used? Do researchers videorecord grimacing rats? That seems rather tedious and subjective.

  3. Re:Also, this means... by Muros · · Score: 5, Informative

    No more need to wear deodorant. My naturally musky smell will make everyone feel more at ease.

    Unfortunately, the summary is incorrect. The article says the mice are more stressed with males around.

  4. Re:Also, this means... by Jmc23 · · Score: 5, Informative
    No, it's not. Modal has to do with different modes of learning, weird how it's exactly what it says eh?

    State specific or dependent memory is what you are looking for, which strangely enough has to do with the state of mind you're in.

    Weird how words work like that, eh?

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    Don't complain about syntax, grammar, or spelling. There is no.hell like input on android.