This one goes
out to Bronzi, re: the VNO is a non-functioning organ
The subject invention concerns the
non-systemic administration to the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of certain steroids to alleviate symptoms of PMS and
anxiety, as well as for treatment of elevated body temperature and paroxistic tachycardia (high pulse rate).
Administration provides for contacting neurochemical receptors in the VNO (also known as "Jacobson's organ"), with
one or more steroid(s) or with compositions containing the steroid(s). This organ is accessed through the nostrils
of most higher animals--from snakes to humans, and has been associated, inter alia, with pheromone reception in
certain species (see generally Muller-Schwarze & Silverstein, Chemical Signals, Plenum Press, New York (1980)). The
axons of the neuroepithelia of the vomeronasal organ, located supra palatinal, form the vomeronasal nerve and have
direct synaptic connection to the accessory olfactory bulb and indirect input from there to the cortico-medial
amygdaloid basal forebrain and hypothalamic nuclei of the brain. The distal axons of terminalis nerve neurons may
also serve as neurochemical receptors in the VNO. Stensaas, L. J., et al., J. Steroid Biochem. and Molec. Biol.
(1991) 39:553. This nerve has direct synaptic connection with the hypothalamus.
Results which suggest that the
VNO is a functional chemosensory receptor are reported by Stensaas, L., et al., supra; and by Moran, D. T., et al.,
Garcia-Velasco, J. and M. Mondragon; Monti-Bloch, L. and B. Grosser all in J. Steroid Biochem. and Molec. Biol.
(1991) 39.
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