Integrated Investigation of Sex Differences in Auditory, Gustatory, Olfactory, and Music-Induced Psychophysiological Responses in Healthy Adults

Abstract Background: Biological sex and gender-related factors modulate multisensory perception, including audition, olfaction, gustation, and emotional responses to music. However, these domains are typically studied in isolation, limiting a unified understanding of sex-based sensory phenotypes. Objective: To concurrently evaluate sex differences in hearing thresholds, olfactory function, taste sensitivity, and psychophysiological responses to controlled music stimuli using standardized protocols. Methods: A total of 120 healthy adults (60 males, 60 females; aged 25–45 years) underwent a comprehensive sensory battery: (1) Auditory: Pure-tone (0.25–8 kHz) and high-frequency audiometry (9–16 kHz); (2) Olfactory: Threshold (phenylethyl alcohol), identification (coffee), and discrimination tests; (3) Gustatory: A composite Taste Sensation Index (TSI) integrating taste strips, electrogustometry, whole-mouth, and regional filter paper tests; (4) Music Response: Exposure to 12 controlled musical excerpts varying in genre, loudness, pitch, and duration, with concurrent measurement of self-reported valence/arousal (SAM), skin conductance (SC), and heart rate variability (HRV). Hormonal status was recorded. Data were analyzed using mixed-model ANOVAs and regression analyses. Results: Females demonstrated superior high-frequency hearing sensitivity (p = 0.03), better olfactory detection (p < 0.001) and identification (p = 0.012), and higher TSI scores (p < 0.001). During music exposure, females reported stronger emotional arousal (p < 0.01) and exhibited greater SC reactivity to high-pitched melodies, whereas males showed greater HRV shifts during high-loudness rhythmic genres (p = 0.02). Hormonal phase modulated olfactory and music responses in females. Conclusion: This integrative study confirms a consistent female advantage across chemosensory and emotionally valenced auditory processing, underpinned by biological and psychosocial factors. The findings support a sex-informed, multisensory model with implications for personalized clinical assessment and therapeutic interventions.