香りの科学

Does information about liking or disliking an odor travel only one way, from the nose to the brain? A study of electrical activity in the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex examines rapid responses and the pleasantness-related information that subsequently returns.

An experiment with 22 people briefly displayed fruit images to test whether scent–target congruency changes performance. Accuracy, response time, and individual differences tell different parts of the story.

Does scent affect whether we miss the second of two rapidly appearing numbers? Three experiments analyzing 112 people found no lavender–peppermint difference, while examining presentation methods and personal associations.

In an experiment with 296 women, imagining smells brought personal memories to many participants. The study explores differences in pleasantness, memory age, and vividness.

When 56 adults were tested four times from morning to evening, their mean scores for detecting faint odors changed. We examine how this relates to nasal airflow and morning or evening chronotypes.

Fifty-two people learned a virtual maze using pictures or odors as landmarks and were tested immediately and one month later. The study examined memory for route decisions separately from recognition of the landmarks themselves.

Identifying an odor and paying attention to everyday smells are not the same thing. A 12-week preliminary study of children aged 6–9 measured both. We examine the possible increase in awareness with scented training and what remains unconfirmed.

A comparison of 11 people with congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss and 11 hearing participants explores sensory adaptation through smell tests and tasks involving stimulation inside the nose.

After 30 seconds of exposure to the same odor, perceived intensity and early brain responses changed. An experiment with 13 participants explores the relationship between odor habituation and early processing.