感じ方・記憶・気分

People smelling the same fish odor can differ in perceived intensity, unpleasantness, and the names that come to mind. A study of 11,326 people in Iceland linked part of that variation to genetic differences in olfactory receptors.

Different responses in some brain regions were reported even for three vanilla-like odorants rated similarly for intensity, pleasantness, and familiarity. A 44-person fMRI study helps distinguish aroma ratings and brain activity from interpretations concerning memory.

Choosing a scent that evokes pleasant memories and sleeping in a room scented with it: in a sleep experiment involving 20 people, no improvement in dream emotions or mood immediately after awakening was confirmed. The study explores the difficulty of influencing dreams even when personal scent preferences are considered.

Can a familiar scent help us recall newly learned information? Three experiments pairing odors with shapes explore the relationship between familiarity and memory.

Does the brain represent odor preferences on a single scale? Detailed fMRI recordings from three people explore separate activity patterns for pleasant and unpleasant odors and frontal regions that represent what they have in common.

An analysis of up to 21,495 people examined genetic associations with identifying 12 odors, exploring odor-specific differences and associations that vary between women and men.

By measuring odor concentration separately from perceived intensity, a study of electrical brain activity in 46 people explores signals traveling back and forth between the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex.

Does the same odor seem weaker during a difficult game? An experiment in which 30 people played Tetris at different difficulty levels explores attention, odor intensity, and a hypothesis about distracted eating.

Does adding a scent that matches a poem change how it is learned? An experiment with 87 fourth graders examines immediate and three-day memory, understanding of poetic scenes, and enjoyment of learning.

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.