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Some like it, some do not: behavioral responses and central processing of olfactory-trigeminal mixture perception
Franziska S Müschenich1, Thorsten Sichtermann2, Maria Elisa Di Francesco2
1Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany. Franziska.mueschenich@web.de.
Brain Structure & Function
|December 23, 2020
Summary
Eucalyptol masks ammonia
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory Science
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Eucalyptol is explored as a masking agent for unpleasant odors like ammonia.
- Previous studies show eucalyptol masks olfactory but not trigeminal ammonia sensations.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the processing of eucalyptol-ammonia mixtures.
- Analyze behavioral and neural responses to olfactory-trigeminal stimuli.
Main Methods:
- 33 healthy participants received monorhinal stimulation with eucalyptol, ammonia, or a mixture.
- Behavioral ratings (intensity, pleasantness) and functional brain imaging (fMRI) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Eucalyptol suppressed ammonia's olfactory intensity in the mixture.
- Participants were divided into 'pleasant' and 'unpleasant' groups based on mixture perception.
- The 'unpleasant' group showed neural activation in the anterior insula and SII, suggesting attentional shift and trigeminal enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Individual differences in perception influence mixture pleasantness.
- Neural responses in the 'unpleasant' group indicate processing of trigeminal and potentially painful sensations.
- Developing effective odor masks is challenging due to individual sensory processing and pleasantness perception.
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