Estratetraenol increases preference for large sexual reward but not impulsivity among heterosexual males

Horm Behav. 2022 Sep 21;146:105266. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105266. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThere is increasing evidence suggesting that estratetraenol, a human chemosignal deemed a putative sex pheromone, affects social cognition and sexual behavior. The present study investigates the effects of estratetraenol on preference for sexual rewards in heterosexual males. Seventy-six male participants received either estratetraenol or a control carrier in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-participant design. Participants underwent a sexual delay discounting task, in which they were asked to make a choice between a variable larger-later option (i.e., waiting longer to view a sexual picture for a longer duration) and a smaller-sooner option (i.e., waiting for a fixed shorter period of time to view the same picture for a shorter duration). Results revealed that, compared to the control solution, estratetraenol selectively increases preference for larger-later sexual rewards. Computational modelling showed that estratetraenol has no observable influence on impulsivity, as indexed by the discounting rate. These findings suggest that estratetraenol could increase men's sexual motivation, possibly facilitating behavioral processes associated with the pursuit of a sexual partner.PMID:36152381 | DOI:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105266
Source: Hormones and Behavior - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Source Type: research