Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 15, 2025

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants
Published on: September 18, 2018
Conceptual processing of natural, complex odours: multisensory effects on behaviour and ERSP
Viviane Gallus1, Christine I Hucke1, Katja Butter2
1Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Toxicology, Research Group: Neurotoxicology and Chemosensation, Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
None:
We encounter our environment in a multisensory way, yet little is known about the processing of olfactory stimuli within a visual context. In this study, we investigated the effects of visuo-olfactory congruency on associated Event-Related Spectral Perturbations in the electroencephalography signal and pleasantness/intensity ratings. We presented pine wood odour or clean air with congruent or incongruent pictures to 21 participants. Olfactory processing manifested in an increase in delta band power, decrease in alpha band power, and higher intensity ratings. We further observed alpha band desynchronisation while attending concept-relevant pictures and an effect on pleasantness. There was also a conceptual effect on late delta band power, which may reflect increased processing needs for incongruent visuo-olfactory information. A second, independent experiment (n = 21), using citral as odour stimulus, ruled out that these effects were merely processing of simultaneous olfactory and visual stimulation, but likely to be processing on a conceptual level.
More Related Videos
06:13Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research
Published on: January 19, 2024
08:36Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: April 11, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Olfaction
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
The olfactory...
Perception
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the...
Parallel Processing
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure