Vomeronasal Organ: What It Is, Location And Functions
The world of smells is fascinating. Although this is probably the least developed sense in humans, thanks to this sense we are able to perceive very diverse aromas that have different effects on us, and even taste what we eat.
But not all we can capture when we inhale are smells. And the vast majority of mammals have an internal organ that is capable of detecting pheromones. We are talking about vomeronasal organ, common to a large number of mammals and whose existence and functionality in human beings has often been discussed.
We call the vomeronasal organ a structure present in a large number of living beings and in humans (although depending on the study, it is stated that it is part of all human beings or that only a percentage of them have it), which serves as an auxiliary organ of the olfactory system
Is about a group of sensory receptors specialized in the uptake of pheromones , chemical signals left by living beings and that serve as a message to other beings, whether or not they are of the same species. These receptors are connected to bipolar neurons that have connections with the hypothalamus and the olfactory bulb.
The vomeronasal organ is also called Jacobson’s organ. in honor of Ludwig Lewin Jacobson , who gave it its original name (vomeronasal organ) after studying the structure that Frederik Ruysch had seen and described (being the first to do so) after observing a structure in the anterior part of the nasal septum of a corpse. Jacobson, likewise, visualized this organ in various animals and noted a lack of development of this structure in the case of humans.
In humans, this organ is a bilateral tube that can have various shapes, the most common being a conical sac, and which is located anterior to the vomer bone and below the respiratory mucosa. It is connected to the nasal cavity and is covered with epithelial tissue
In many animals there is an internal pump made up of blood vessels that, when contracted, allow pheromones to be absorbed and captured. However, this does not occur in humans, as it is a membranous organ that does not have great vascularization.
Functions of the Jacobson organ
The existence of the vomeronasal organ is a reality in the vast majority of terrestrial animals. The main function associated with this organ is to capture the signals emitted by other members of the same species in order to transmit certain information The capture of pheromones allows animals to choose reproductive partners with immune systems very different from their own (something that benefits possible offspring), to detect the state of health of an animal of the same species, to warn possible sexual partners of this stage of mating or marking social status.
Also It is very useful to many animals when it comes to detecting and hunting their prey as in the case of snakes (in fact, the typical movement of the tongue of snakes helps to bring the pheromones in and bring them closer to this organ).
However, in other animals it does not seem to have functionality, as in the case of aquatic mammals (dolphins and whales) and certain species of bats and apes.
With regard to human beings, as we mentioned above Its functionality has been highly discussed Traditionally, the vomeronasal organ has been considered to be a vestigial organ inherited from our ancestors and without a role in our body, like the tailbone, wisdom teeth or nipples in humans.
However, the truth is that it has been observed that exposure to certain pheromones in the human vomeronasal organ can generate changes at a physiological level In fact, it has been found that some aspects of our behavior or even our biology can depend on or vary through exposure to pheromones. The best-known example is sexual attraction: there are people who, being strangers, attract us instinctively, regardless of their physical appearance or personality.
Likewise, there is another aspect that happens regularly and whose explanation is also hormonal: when several women live together continuously for a period of time, their menstrual cycles tend to synchronize. Likewise, the presence of men who cohabit with the woman can also alter the menstrual cycle. Similarly, it has been observed exposure to some hormones relaxes behavior and decreases the level of aggression in men, or can increase their testosterone level.
Finally, the existence of certain pheromones emitted by mothers and babies that have a certain role is also known. in the union and maternal-filial bond and the behavior of any of them can be modified depending on the uptake by the vomeronasal organ of some of them.
Commercial exploitation of pheromones
Now, it must be taken into account that the existence of this organ and the role of pheromones in aspects such as sexual attraction It has been used by a large number of brands to try to sell their products, selling different perfumes or even preparations with pheromones on a commercial level.
In this sense we must bear in mind that first of all we ourselves already emit pheromones, and the mixture of our own with those of other preparations can be confusing or even unpleasant, and we must bear in mind that sexual and romantic attraction is not limited only to the hormones we release.
Furthermore, it must be considered that different pheromones can have different effects depending on who captures them (for example, as we have said before, at the level of sexual attraction, someone with an immune system very different from ours is usually more appetizing).
