Congenitally anosmic adults report less maternal care than normosmics - a retrospective questionnaire study
Abstract
Olfactory cues are known to play a significant role in the social interactions of vertebrates and humans are no exception. Human neonates are able to learn the odor signature of their mothers and to orient towards them (Cernoch and Porter 1985; Schleidt and Genzel 1990; Schaal, Marlier et al. 1998).
Mothers are more attracted to newborn infant body odors than nonmothers (Fleming, Corter et al. 1993) and are able to recognise their infants based on their odors following very little experience with them (Porter, Cernoch et al. 1983; Schaal and Porter 1991). This reciprocal olfactory-based communication might substantially assist in the process of mother-infant bonding.
However, the effect of chemosensory information in mother-child interactions was rarely studied. One research interest is to study mother-infant bonding in individuals with inborn absence of smell.
Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the consequences of congenital anosmia for the formation of mother-infant bond, as assessed retrospectively. Twenty-eight congenitally anosmic patients (18 - 42 years) and twenty-eight normosmic controls (18 - 42 years) participated in the study.
They were administered the German versions of the 25-item Parental Bonding Instrument, to assess their recollections of parental care and overprotectiveness during the first sixteen years of life, and the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory to assess depressive symptoms. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the maternal care dimension (F(1,54) = 8.62, p = .005, r = .37), with congenital anosmic participants reporting less marternal care than controls.
No difference was found in maternal overprotection, paternal care or overprotection. No correlation between maternal care and the depression score, educational status or age was found.
The results of the present study indicate that olfaction plays a crucial role in the formation of mother-infant bond.