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Updated: Jun 21, 2026
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Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
Published on: April 23, 2019
Odor interaction between Bourgeonal and its antagonist undecanal.
Malin Brodin1, Matthias Laska, Mats J Olsson
1Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Chemical Senses
|July 22, 2009
Summary
Odor perception can be complex. In this study, higher concentrations of bourgeonal-undecanal mixtures showed the antagonist
Area of Science:
- Olfactory science
- Human sensory perception
- Chemosensation
Background:
- Odor mixture perception is typically dominated by the strongest component.
- Receptor antagonism is a theoretical mechanism that can alter odor perception.
- Undecanal acts as an antagonist for bourgeonal-sensitive receptors in the human nose.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if bourgeonal-undecanal mixtures exhibit asymmetric odor quality.
- To determine if receptor antagonism affects human odor mixture perception.
- To compare mixtures of bourgeonal and undecanal with bourgeonal and n-butanol.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of isointense concentration mixtures of bourgeonal with undecanal and n-butanol.
- Sensory evaluation of odor quality at two concentration levels.
- Analysis of odor perception dominance in binary mixtures.
Main Results:
- Control mixtures (bourgeonal and n-butanol) were dominated by the stronger component, as expected.
- Bourgeonal-undecanal mixtures were dominated by the antagonist (undecanal) at higher concentrations.
- This suggests low-affinity receptor antagonism influences odor perception.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence of receptor-level antagonism affecting human odor mixture perception.
- Antagonistic interactions can lead to asymmetric odor quality, challenging traditional mixture models.
- Findings highlight the complexity of olfactory processing and receptor interactions.
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