Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Studying the Effects of Inhaled Environmental Pollutants on Olfactory Function in Mice
Published on: September 13, 2024
Environmental effects exceed genetic effects on perceived intensity and pleasantness of several odors: a
Antti Knaapila1, Hely Tuorila, Karri Silventoinen
1Department of Food Technology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. antti.knaapila@helsinki.fi
Abstract:
Human genes encoding odorant receptors have been identified, but the contribution of genetic effects to total variation in specific odor perceptions is largely unknown. We estimated the relative contributions of genetic and environmental effects to variation in the perceived intensity and pleasantness of cinnamon, chocolate, turpentine, and isovaleric acid (sweaty) odors by quantitative genetic modeling of odor rating data from 856 twin individuals (including 83 complete monozygotic and 275 dizygotic twin pairs) aged 10-60 years (44% males and 56% females) from Australia, Denmark, and Finland. Results from fitting univariate models including components for additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and non-shared environmental (E) effects to the data implied that non-shared environmental effects account for the most variation in ratings of individual odors while genetic effects play only a minor role. Multivariate independent pathway model revealed a modest but significant common additive genetic component for intensity ratings, explaining 18% of the total variation. The results promote the importance of inter-individual variation in odor exposures and olfactory plasticity to odor perception.
More Related Videos
09:53Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
Published on: April 23, 2019
06:13Combining a Breath-Synchronized Olfactometer with Brain Simulation to Study the Impact of Odors on Corticospinal Excitability and Effective Connectivity
Published on: January 19, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Gene-Environment Interactions
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
The olfactory...