Ambient air pollution undermines chemosensory sensitivity - a global perspective.

This study offers insights into the complex relationship between chemical species constituting air pollution and chemosensory function. We examined the relationship between chemical species known to contribute to air pollution and assault human health and chemosensory sensitivity. Chemosensory sensitivity data was retrieved from a large-scale study involving 711 urban-dwelling participants inhabiting 10 different regions of the globe.

Olfactory performance and odor liking are negatively associated with food neophobia in children aged between 3 and 9 years.

Background: Child food neophobia, i.e., rejection or avoidance of novel foods at a young age, is a prevalent nutrition problem that affects the quality of children's diet and impedes the development of healthy food preferences.

Perceived vulnerability to disease in pregnancy and parenthood and its impact on newborn health.

Susceptibility to diseases and fear of infections might vary intra-individually, depending on life circumstances. The main aims of the current research were to examine whether perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) is higher in expectant women and their partners as compared to their non-pregnant peers (Study 1), and to test whether a mother's disease aversion during pregnancy relates to health of her newborn (Study 2). In Study 1 we collected cross-sectional data from 412 men and women varying in parenthood status.

Humans need auditory experience to produce typical volitional nonverbal vocalizations.

Human nonverbal vocalizations such as screams and cries often reflect their evolved functions. Although the universality of these putatively primordial vocal signals and their phylogenetic roots in animal calls suggest a strong reflexive foundation, many of the emotional vocalizations that we humans produce are under our voluntary control. This suggests that, like speech, volitional vocalizations may require auditory input to develop typically.