Pregnancy reduces the perception of anxiety

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 9213 - 11
• Main Authors: Lübke, Katrin T., Busch, Anne, Hoenen, Matthias, Schaal, Benoist, Pause, Bettina M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23.08.2017; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/378/1457; 631/378/2624; 631/378/2645; 631/378/3917; 631/477; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - psychology; Chemoreception; Cognitive ability; Cotton; Electroencephalography; Emotions; Event-related potentials; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Latency; Life Sciences; multidisciplinary; Neurons and Cognition; Odorants; Olfactory Perception; Perception; Pregnancy; Psychology and behavior; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Stimulation, Chemical; Sweat; Sweating; Young Adult

In humans, stress can be contagiously transmitted via chemosignals on a subconscious level. This study investigates how pregnancy affects neural responses to anxiety chemosignals. Using cotton pads, 28 men donated axillary sweat immediately before an academic examination (anxiety sweat) and during e...