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Updated: Mar 2, 2026

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Simple and Computer-assisted Olfactory Testing for Mice
Published on: June 15, 2015
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人的嗅觉不好是一个19世纪的神话
1Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Psychology Department, Rutgers University, 152 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. john.mcgann@rutgers.edu.
概括
人们有着敏的嗅觉. 研究表明,我们的嗅觉球体大小和神经元数量与其他哺乳动物相美,
科学领域:
- 神经科学
- 嗅觉研究
- 人类生物学
背景情况:
- 人们普遍认为,与其他哺乳动物相比,人类的嗅觉很差.
- 这一概念源于19世纪的一个假设, 将减少的嗅觉球体大小与人类的自由意志联系起来.
- 这种信念缺乏经验证据.
研究的目的:
- 为了重新评估人类的嗅觉.
- 挑战有关嗅觉球体大小和人类进化的历史假设.
- 提供人类嗅觉能力的证据.
主要方法:
- 对哺乳动物种类的嗅球大小和神经元数量的比较分析.
- 对人类嗅觉感知和区分的经验研究的回顾.
- 评估人类的嗅觉敏感性和追踪能力.
主要成果:
- 人类的嗅觉球在绝对数量上很大, 含有与其他哺乳动物相当数量的神经元.
- 人类具有极好的嗅觉能力, 能够检测和区分各种不同的气味.
- 人类对某些气味的嗅觉敏感度超过动物和狗; 人类可以追踪气味痕迹.
结论:
- 人类嗅觉不佳的说法是没有证据的,
- 人类拥有复杂的嗅觉能力,与其他哺乳动物相美,甚至在特定环境中超越它们.
- 嗅觉显著影响人类的行为和情感状态.
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