MHC‐dependent mate choice in humans: Why genomic patterns from the HapMap European American dataset support the hypothesis

Laurent, Romain; Chaix, Raphaëlle

doi:10.1002/bies.201100150

Cited by 24 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In effect, ethnic heterogeneity within a sample will produce patterns of positive assortative mating at the ethnic level, where spouses are more similar at a genomewide level than random pairs of individuals (Chaix et al . ; Laurent & Chaix ). We found strong support for this explanation in our findings of significant effects for similarity within couples sampled from ethnically heterogeneous populations, but not from homogeneous populations or from experimental studies that control for potential ethnic biases (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A way to rule out spurious MHC associations stemming from population stratification – differences in subpopulation background allele frequencies (Cardon & Palmer ; Derti et al . ; Laurent & Chaix ) – would be to provide measures of neutral genetic similarity of couples. One study adopting this design was able to determine that MHC dissimilarity in couples of European ancestry was independent of genomewide effects, while MHC similarity observed in couples of Yoruban ancestry was most likely a consequence of kinship‐based assortative mating (Chaix et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns ofMHC‐dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta‐analysis

et al. 2016

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Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in vertebrates are integral for effective adaptive immune response and are associated with sexual selection. Evidence from a range of vertebrates supports MHC-based preference for diverse and dissimilar mating partners, but evidence from human mate choice studies has been disparate and controversial. Methodologies and sampling peculiarities specific to human studies make it difficult to know whether wide discrepancies in results among human populations are real or artefact. To better understand what processes may affect MHC-mediated mate choice across humans and nonhuman primates, we performed phylogenetically controlled meta-analyses using 58 effect sizes from 30 studies across seven primate species. Primates showed a general trend favouring more MHC-diverse mates, which was statistically significant for humans. In contrast, there was no tendency for MHC-dissimilar mate choice, and for humans, we observed effect sizes indicating selection of both MHC-dissimilar and MHC-similar mates. Focusing on MHC-similar effect sizes only, we found evidence that preference for MHC similarity was an artefact of population ethnic heterogeneity in observational studies but not among experimental studies with more control over sociocultural biases. This suggests that human assortative mating biases may be responsible for some patterns of MHC-based mate choice. Additionally, the overall effect sizes of primate MHC-based mating preferences are relatively weak (Fisher's Z correlation coefficient for dissimilarity Zr = 0.044, diversity Zr = 0.153), calling for careful sampling design in future studies. Overall, our results indicate that preference for more MHC-diverse mates is significant for humans and likely conserved across primates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns ofMHC‐dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta‐analysis

et al. 2016

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“…Two nonhuman primate studies tested for mate choice for optimal diversity and found nonsignificant results 89,135 and two human studies found suggestive evidence of selection for optimal offspring diversity. Derti et al compared genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between European-American mates and found some evidence that partners avoid extreme similarity at MHC genes 86 (though another study using overlapping datasets have interpreted these results to support MHC-dissimilarity 85,136 ); Jacob et al found that women preferred odors of men with more alleles matching those inherited paternally, but not maternally, 54 suggesting that women employ an odor preference that provides them optimal allele matching.…”

Section: Selection For Intermediate Dissimilarity and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…86,136,[140][141][142][143][144][145][146] In fact, of the 27 studies on human MHC-associated mate selection reviewed here, one-third (nine studies) have provoked direct criticism and published correspondence between authors and critics (Table S1). These discussions conclude that the most critical factor to consider is context, including within and among individuals and within and among populations.…”

Section: Conclusion Caveats and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the evidence for major histocompatibility complex-dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates

Winternitz¹,

Abbate²

2015

RRB

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Compounds of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are integral for effective vertebrate adaptive immune response, and are also implicated as cues for sexual selection. The evidence for this is supportive of MHC-based preference for diverse and dissimilar mating partners, in a range of vertebrates from fish to nonhuman primates. However, the evidence for a similar role of these genes and the evolutionary benefits of their diversity in human mate choice has been more controversial. Here, we review the results of 34 primary studies on MHC-mediated mate choice in humans and nonhuman primates in an effort to understand what processes may underscore, or belie, such differences. Both human and nonhuman primate studies show evidence of mate selection for MHC-dissimilarity and diversity, with fewer results in support of mate selection for optimal diversity or for specific "good gene". In general, stronger support comes from female-choice studies as opposed to male-choice studies (though male preferences and choice are investigated less often). This review suggests that the majority of mate choice results from contemporary human studies are consistent with our evolutionary history, but also reveals that only in humans do we find evidence for preference for mates with similar MHC composition. Overall, we show that contextual nuances, namely, population structure, multiple sensory cues that signal different information, and hormonal influences may explain the conflicting results observed for the role of MHC in human sexual preference, and argue for the exploration of such caveats in less well-studied systems to discern between general patterns and qualities unique to humans.

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“…However, the statistical methods of testing their hypothesis was criticized, because the significance could be attribute to extreme mate pairs within the groups, as well as for not correctly adjusting their statistical thresholds for multiple hypothesis testing (Derti et al, 2010). After adjusting their previous results for multiple hypotheses (Laurent and Chaix, 2012), the critics agreed (Derti and Roth, 2013) that MHC based mate selection was an apparent, but not a robust result, which might simply be attributed to the small sample size. Further research is certainly called for on the role of VOC given off by MHC compounds in humans in the selection of mates across cultures.…”

Section: Olfactory Sensory States Are Phenomenally Consciousmentioning

confidence: 96%

Smelling phenomenal

Young

2014

Front. Psychol.

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Qualitative-consciousness arises at the sensory level of olfactory processing and pervades our experience of smells to the extent that qualitative character is maintained whenever we are aware of undergoing an olfactory experience. Building upon the distinction between Access and Phenomenal Consciousness the paper offers a nuanced distinction between Awareness and Qualitative-consciousness that is applicable to olfaction in a manner that is conceptual precise and empirically viable. Mounting empirical research is offered substantiating the applicability of the distinction to olfaction and showing that olfactory qualitative-consciousness can occur without awareness, but any olfactory state that we are aware of being in is always qualitative. Evidence that olfactory sensory states have a qualitatively character in the absence of awareness derives from research on mate selection, the selection of social preference for social interaction and acquaintances, as well as the role of olfactory deficits in causing affective disorders. Furthermore, the conservation of secondary processing measures of olfactory valence during olfactory imagery experiments provides verification that olfactory awareness is always qualitatively conscious—all olfactory consciousness smells phenomenal.

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MHC‐dependent mate choice in humans: Why genomic patterns from the HapMap European American dataset support the hypothesis

Cited by 24 publications

References 38 publications

Patterns ofMHC‐dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta‐analysis

Patterns ofMHC‐dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta‐analysis

Examining the evidence for major histocompatibility complex-dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates

Smelling phenomenal

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