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Updated: May 11, 2026

Simple and Computer-assisted Olfactory Testing for Mice
Published on: June 15, 2015
Effect of aging on hedonic appreciation of pleasant and unpleasant odors
Pauline Joussain1, Marc Thevenet, Catherine Rouby
1CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, University Lyon, Lyon, France. pauline.joussain@olfac.univ-lyon1.fr
Abstract:
Does hedonic appreciation evolve differently for pleasant odors and unpleasant odors during normal aging? To answer this question we combined psychophysics and electro-encephalographic recordings in young and old adults. A first study showed that pleasant odorants (but not unpleasant ones) were rated as less pleasant by old adults. A second study validated this decrease in hedonic appreciation for agreeable odors and further showed that smelling these odorants decreased beta event-related synchronization in aged participants. In conclusion, the study offers new insights into the evolution of odor hedonic perception during normal aging, highlighting for the first time a change in processing pleasant odors.
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