In article <4me1qn$60t at scotsman.ed.ac.uk>, shawg at aisb.ed.ac.uk says...
>>Why does nobody care about the amygdala, what does it do and more
>importantly how does it do it ?
I'm not convinced that nobody cares. It may be merely a lack of knowledge
of its function in olfaction that contibutes to disinterest. Perhaps I
can stimulate some interest by mentioning Perkins, Fitgerald, & Moss
(1995) A comparison of LH secretion and brain estradiol receptors in
heterosexual and homosexual rams and female sheep. Hormones and Behavior
29: 31-41.
The content of estradiol receptors in the amygdala of homosexual rams and
of ewes was similar, but less than in heterosexuals. One could posit that
the amygdala is linked to sexual orientation in a higher-than-rodent
mammalian model. Given what is known about mammalian
olfactory-genetic-neuronal-hormonal-behavioral reciprocity, one could
also posit that odors are linked via the amygdala to human sexual
orientation.
Whoops! I may have just made an unforgivable cross-species comparison.
Sorry about that (not).
Jim Kohl
http://www.pheromones.com