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Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Perceived Intensity and Pleasantness of Androstenone Odor: An International Twin Study

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Chemosensory Perception

Abstract

We estimated the genetic and environmental components of variation in perceived intensity and pleasantness of androstenone, an odorous compound showing specific anosmia, by modeling twin data from Finland, Denmark, the UK, and Australia. The pooled data comprised 917 twin individuals (338 are male and 579 are female; aged from 10 to 83years) including 126 complete monozygous and 264 dizygous twin pairs as well as 137 twin individuals without their co-twin. They rated intensity and pleasantness of androstenone and citronellal (control) odors using nine categories. Additive genetic effects (heritability) contributed 28 and 21% to the variation in the perceived intensity and pleasantness of androstenone, respectively, but negligibly to variations in citronellal perception. A strong genetic correlation existed between the intensity and pleasantness of androstenone, whereas the environmental correlation was negligible. These results suggest that both intensity and pleasantness of androstenone are moderately influenced by genetic factors and that the traits are modified by an overlapping set of genes.

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Acknowledgments

Quest International (presently Givaudan) is thanked for sponsoring the scratch-and-sniff odor stimuli. We thank the twins for their participation in the study, as well as Jytte Duerlund, Birgit Wich, Ann Eldridge, Marlene Grace, Daniel Park, Kaisu Taskila, Johanna Kuumola, Kati Kristiansson, Mari Lehtonen, Mari Siltala, Eero Vuoksimaa, Ursula Perks, and the TRU staff for their contribution to data collection. Kevin Deegan is thanked for his helpful suggestions on language of the manuscript. The Academy of Finland [grants 206327 (HT, AK, KK) and 108297 (KS)] and the European Commission [GenomEUtwin project under the ‘Quality of Life and Management of the Living Resources’ of 5th Framework Programme (QLG2-CT-2002–01254)] are acknowledged for funding. Data collection of Finnish twins was supported by the National Institutes of Health grants AA-12502 (to RJ Rose), and by the Academy of Finland grant 205585 (JK). JK, KS, and MP are supported by the Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in Complex Disease Genetics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Antti Knaapila, Hely Tuorila & Kaisu Keskitalo

  2. Department of Molecular Medicine, National Public Health Institute, P.O. Box 104, 00251, Helsinki, Finland

    Antti Knaapila, Kaisu Keskitalo & Markus Perola

  3. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 41, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Karri Silventoinen & Jaakko Kaprio

  4. Queensland Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia

    Margaret J. Wright, Jonathan Hansen & Nicholas G. Martin

  5. Institute of Regional Health Research and the Danish Twin Registry, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 19, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Kirsten O. Kyvik

  6. Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, King’s College London, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK

    Lynn F. Cherkas & Tim D. Spector

  7. Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300, Helsinki, Finland

    Jaakko Kaprio

  8. Department of Medical Genetics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Markus Perola

Authors
  1. Antti Knaapila
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  2. Hely Tuorila
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  3. Karri Silventoinen
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  4. Margaret J. Wright
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  5. Kirsten O. Kyvik
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  6. Lynn F. Cherkas
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  7. Kaisu Keskitalo
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  8. Jonathan Hansen
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  9. Nicholas G. Martin
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  10. Tim D. Spector
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  11. Jaakko Kaprio
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  12. Markus Perola
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Correspondence to Antti Knaapila.

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Knaapila, A., Tuorila, H., Silventoinen, K. et al. Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Perceived Intensity and Pleasantness of Androstenone Odor: An International Twin Study. Chem. Percept. 1, 34–42 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-007-9005-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-007-9005-x

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