A psychophysical test of the vibration theory of olfaction

Andreas Keller; Leslie B Vosshall

doi:10.1038/nn1215

A psychophysical test of the vibration theory of olfaction

Nat Neurosci. 2004 Apr;7(4):337-8. doi: 10.1038/nn1215. Epub 2004 Mar 21.

Authors

Andreas Keller¹, Leslie B Vosshall

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 63, New York New York, 10021, USA. kellera@mail.rockefeller.edu

PMID: 15034588
DOI: 10.1038/nn1215

Abstract

At present, no satisfactory theory exists to explain how a given molecule results in the perception of a particular smell. One theory is that olfactory sensory neurons detect intramolecular vibrations of the odorous molecule. We used psychophysical methods in humans to test this vibration theory of olfaction and found no evidence to support it.

Publication types

Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Discrimination, Psychological*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Odorants*
Olfactory Receptor Neurons / physiology
Perception / physiology*
Psychophysics
Receptors, Odorant / physiology
Reference Values
Signal Detection, Psychological*
Signal Transduction / physiology*
Smell / physiology*
Structure-Activity Relationship*
Vibration

Substances

Receptors, Odorant