BACKGROUND Insects rely on olfaction to locate food, mates, and suitable oviposition sites for successful completion of their life cycle. Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (emerald ash borer) is a serious invasive insect pest that has killed tens of millions of North American ash (Fraxinus spp) trees and threatens the very existence of the genus Fraxinus. Adult A. planipennis are attracted to host ...

Recent experiments in Drosophila demonstrate striking stereotypy in the neural architecture of the olfactory system. Functional imaging experiments in mammals and honeybees suggest a mechanism of odor coding that translates discrete patterns of activity in olfactory glomeruli into an odor image. Future experiments in Drosophila may permit a direct test of this odor-coding hypothesis.

The most important aims of this thesis were: (1) to investigate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in an adult Swedish population and to relate dysfunction to factors of possible impact on olfaction, (2) to present our experience with patients seeking medical attention for olfactory disorders, (3) to describe the relationship between detection and identification tests for olfactory disorde...

In vision, alternating percepts occur when two different visual stimuli are presented separately to the two eyes. By analogy, simultaneous presentation of two different odorants separately to the two nostrils has now been shown to cause alternating odor percepts, an effect termed 'binaral rivalry'.

BACKGROUND Olfactory identification was reported to be better among PD (Parkinson disease) patients with Parkin mutations, but previous studies didn't eliminate the interference of other PD related genes on olfaction, and whether olfaction of Parkin mutations patients was better in Chinese population was still unknown. OBJECTIVE To assess olfaction function among PD patients with Parkin mutat...

Introduction. Based on anecdotal reports of improved olfaction following aerobic exercise, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week aerobic exercise program on olfaction function in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. Thirty-eight participants with idiopathic PD were randomized to either an aerobic exercise group (n = 23) or a nonexercise control group (n =...

Perception of fat taste, aroma, and texture are proposed to influence food preferences, thus shaping dietary intake and eating behaviour and consequently long-term health. In this study, we investigated associations between fatty acid taste, olfaction, mouthfeel of fat, dietary intake, eating behaviour, and body mass index (BMI). Fifty women attended three sessions to assess oleic acid taste an...

Background The influence of surgery on olfaction in patients who suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is still not fully understood. Most particularly, the time course of the recovery is poorly studied. Methods The prospective study describes the results of the Sniffin' Sticks identification test in 41 subjects before (V1), 2 weeks after (V2), and 6 months after (V3) endonasal sinus surge...

Olfaction deficits in individuals with schizophrenia are well documented. A meta-analysis conducted nearly a dozen years ago on the topic revealed a deficit of a full standard deviation in magnitude compared to nonpatient controls. Recent efforts have been attempted to determine whether deficits in olfactory identification and acuity reflect a vulnerability marker of schizophrenia-spectrum path...

Historically, anatomical evidence has suggested that marine mammals are anosmic or at best microsmatic, i.e. absent or reduced olfactory capabilities. However, these neuroanatomical considerations may not be appropriate predictors for the use of olfaction in social interactions. Observations suggest that pinnipeds may use olfaction in mother-pup interactions, accepting or rejecting pups after n...