Articles tagged with Olfactory Perception
Researchers at UC San Francisco have created the first molecular-level picture of how an odor molecule activates a human odorant receptor, opening doors to creating novel smells. This achievement paves the way for new insights into biological processes, including fragrances and food science.
Researchers found that symbiotic fungi convert chemical defenses of spruce trees into attractive compounds for bark beetles. The fungi's volatile compounds, particularly oxygenated monoterpenes, serve as chemical signals to keep the symbiosis alive and stimulate tunneling behavior in beetles.
Researchers from New York Institute of Technology have made significant findings on how the sense of smell is impacted in individuals with autism. The study analyzed a mouse model of autism and found that scent processing was impaired at a later step, after signals were processed at the olfactory bulb input.
Scientists recreated ancient human and Denisovan noses to compare their olfactory receptor genes, finding differences in sensitivity to various odors. This research sheds light on how our closest genetic relatives perceived and interacted with their environment.
Researchers developed peptide-based olfactory receptors on graphene surfaces to detect odor molecules. The new system showed highly selective and sensitive detection of various odor molecules, including limonene, menthol, and methyl salicylate.
Researchers found that impaired olfactory identification and sensitivity functions are associated with frailty, suggesting a potential biomarker for predicting frailty and unhealthy aging. The study's findings suggest screening older adults' ability to smell various scents could be as important as testing hearing and vision.
Scientists at UC Riverside have discovered that volatile repellents containing ammonia and amines can be used to combat insect-borne diseases by disrupting their sense of smell and taste. The research found that these compounds can silence olfactory neurons in mosquitoes, preventing them from detecting human skin odor.
A study by Duke University Medical Center reveals that loss of smell in long COVID-19 is caused by an ongoing immune assault on olfactory nerve cells and a decline in their number. The finding also sheds light on possible underlying causes of other long COVID-19 symptoms.
A new study reveals that almost a third of long Covid patients suffer from persistent smell loss, with nearly a fifth experiencing loss of taste. The condition can significantly impact daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.
A study by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research found that cheetah marking trees serve as hotspots for communication among multiple mammalian species. These trees were visited more frequently by some species, such as black-backed jackals and warthogs, suggesting they gain important information from the scent marks. In co...
A new study from the University of East Anglia found that overweight women are more likely to experience symptoms of long Covid. The research also shows that people with long Covid are much more likely to need additional and lasting NHS care than those who make a swift recovery.
A study explores the link between shark nose shape, size, and sensitivity of smell. The researchers found that more lamellae in rosettes with an elongated shape are associated with increased odor sensitivity.
Researchers found that prednisolone has no effect on improving sense of smell after COVID-19, but patients' sense of smell gradually improves over time. The study suggests that corticosteroids may not be an effective treatment option for persistent olfactory disorders after COVID-19.
Researchers developed a novel intranasal delivery system that utilizes the trigeminal nerve to deliver antidepressant drugs to the brain. The system showed efficacy at delivering the same dose as intracerebroventricular administration, highlighting a potential new approach for treating depression and other neurological disorders.
Researchers at Yale University discovered that flies can detect the direction of moving odor packets, independent of wind. This allows them to adjust course and find the source of smells more accurately. The finding has potential applications in agriculture, public health, and robotics.
Researchers at Nagoya University discovered that grass puffer fish use a non-toxic version of their deadly toxin, TDT, to attract mates and warn off predators. The study found that TDT serves as an odorant, activating specific olfactory sensory cells in the fish's brain.
Researchers at Stockholm University developed a fully automatic method to categorize English smell words into offensive, malodorous, fragrant, and edible smells. The study's findings have great potential for standardizing vocabularies in the food and perfume industries.
The 7th International Meeting of the Digital Olfaction Society will showcase innovations and products in digital olfaction. Several demonstrations, including those by Sony and Ricoh, will be displayed, highlighting progress in olfactory measurement, testing, and transmission.
Scientists have created an extensive new map of the brain's olfactory circuits, revealing a complex system that processes different aspects of odor information. The map suggests the existence of parallel neural circuits dedicated to assessing smell identity, pleasantness, and origin, offering new insights into olfactory processing.
Researchers digitally reconstructed a Jeholornis skull, shedding light on its vision and sense of smell. The study found that Jeholornis had a larger olfactory bulb than modern birds, suggesting it relied heavily on its sense of smell.
A new VR gaming technology has been developed that enables players to smell in virtual environments, using an olfactometer that can be printed on 3D printers. This allows for the creation of scent-based game mechanics based on player movements and judgments.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory discovered that tufted cells in the olfactory bulb are better at recognizing smells than mitral cells. This finding sheds light on how the brain processes sensory information, including smell intensity and identity.
Researchers are studying COVID-19's impact on the sense of smell, finding that SARS-CoV-2 attacks support cells in the nose, leading to olfactory disorders. Potential treatments include gene scrambling fixes, platelet-rich plasma injections, and olfactory implants.
A new study found that dogs can differentiate between breath and sweat samples from people before and after a stress-inducing task with an accuracy of 93.75%. The researchers believe that dogs are able to detect changes in volatile organic compounds produced by humans in response to stress.
A study published in Cell reveals that the shape of receptor proteins determines axon targeting precision in mice, helping explain how olfactory neurons send signals to specific glomeruli. This discovery could lead to early detection of olfactory deficits and understanding of brain function.
Researchers at Duke University have identified a previously unknown barrier that separates the bloodstream from smelling cells in the upper airway of mice, which may hinder the effectiveness of vaccines. The BOB barrier also allows antibody-secreting plasma cells to produce neutralizing antibodies locally.
A new study published in Frontiers in Medicine found that around 30% of people with long COVID experience a decreased sense of smell, with 29.9% reporting persistent anosmia after 12 weeks. Researchers also discovered an elevated prevalence of blurred vision and hearing-related symptoms after three months.
A study of 219 patients with long COVID and neurologic symptoms found that 64% had an impaired sense of smell. Patients with impaired smell may experience severe and lasting loss of smell, even after recovery from acute COVID-19.
A new study reveals how the C. elegans worm integrates environmental cues and internal states to guide food-seeking behavior, highlighting a potentially universal mechanism for nervous system integration. The research team found that internal states, such as hunger, can influence the expression of key smell receptors in sensory neurons.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a novel approach to tailor odors and fragrances using machine learning. They predicted molecular features based on odor impressions, enabling the creation of highly accurate predictions of physicochemical properties and mixing ratios required for specific smells.
Researchers developed a therapy using GnRH pulsatile injection to restore cognitive and olfactory functions in trisomic mice. In a pilot clinical trial, the treatment improved cognitive performance in 6 out of 7 patients with Down syndrome, including better reasoning, attention, and episodic memory.
The 7th International Meeting of the Digital Olfaction Society will take place in Tokyo, Japan, with a focus on digitalizing smells and aromas. The meeting aims to gather researchers, academics, and industry professionals to share knowledge and develop practical applications for olfactory digitization.
Researchers discovered that mosquitoes process odors in a bizarre way, using multiple sensory receptors housed within one neuron. This uniquely specialized system may explain why mosquitoes are so good at sniffing out humans, even when carbon dioxide cues are eliminated.
Research by Leslie Vosshall's team has overturned the conventional model of the mosquito olfactory system, revealing that individual neurons can detect multiple types of smells. This unexpected result shows that it's even harder than previously thought to confuse mosquitoes as they relentlessly search for human blood.
Researchers found that mosquitoes have co-expressed receptors in their neurons, allowing them to detect multiple types of human odors. This redundancy makes it difficult to eliminate mosquito attraction to humans using repellents or other methods.
A study found a strong link between post-COVID loss of smell or taste and memory problems in patients. Those with the most severe sensory disorders performed worse in cognitive tests, especially memorization.
Researchers found that smells can enhance or hinder our ability to recognize emotions in others' faces. The study used a spectrum of emotions, from extreme joy to neutral, and measured participants' response times.
A study of 168 COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms found that 88% completely recovered from smell or taste dysfunction within two years. For those who took longer to recover, it was over six months
Researchers found a rapid decline in sense of smell predicts cognitive impairment, including dementia and smaller brain areas, in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The study suggests using smell tests as an early screening tool to identify high-risk patients.
Research suggests that up to 5.6% of patients may experience persistent smell loss, while 4.4% may not recover their sense of taste after COVID-19 infection, with recovery rates increasing over time.
A study found an association between prior head injury and a reduced sense of smell in older adults, particularly those with multiple injuries and more severe trauma. The researchers suggest that repeated blows to the head may damage olfactory receptors, leading to anosmia.
Researchers at Cornell University found connections between the brain's olfactory pathway and visual cortex in dogs, showing that olfaction is integrated with vision in terms of learning about the environment. This study corroborates clinical experiences with blind dogs who function remarkably well despite their condition.
A new study from Aarhus University found that patients with distorted sense of smell differ in food preferences and cooking ability compared to control group. Foods like chili, menthol, and rapeseed oil may help increase patient's enjoyment due to enhanced sensory experience.
A team of researchers from Kyushu University has developed an olfactory sensor capable of identifying individuals by analyzing the compounds in their breath. The system, combined with machine learning, achieved an average accuracy of over 97% in authenticating up to 20 individuals.
Scientists have discovered a way to harness animals' olfactory ability to protect endangered plants and animals by masking their scent, disguising it, or spreading similar scents. This method is more effective, sustainable, and animal-friendly than traditional deterrents like fences and lethal control methods.
Researchers found that cats' damage to catnip releases higher amounts of strong insect repellents, which are 10-fold higher than from intact leaves. This altered iridoid mixture promotes a prolonged response in cats, effectively repelling mosquitoes.
Researchers found that tobacco hawkmoths can identify vital nectar sources and suitable host plants despite a complex odor mixture, with female moths responding strongly to specific floral scents after mating. The study suggests that plant-typical mixing ratios play a crucial role in guiding the moths to the right oviposition sites.
Scientists have developed a sustainable method to create valuable aroma compound mixtures from limonene, the main compound in orange peel oil. The process generates an amber-colored liquid with a pleasant odor and 17 different compounds with fruity, herbal, citrus, and resinous notes.
Researchers at UNIGE found that olfactory neurons change their identity based on expressed receptors and past experiences. The study reveals a wide range of identities among these neurons, which adapt rapidly to different levels of stimulation.
Researchers found that neurons in the fly's lateral horn play a crucial role in evaluating individual odors and mediating odor-guided behavior. The study identified glutamatergic neurons as key players in this process, which enables flies to recognize good or bad odors.
Researchers at University of Tokyo used machine learning-based analysis of scalp-recorded EEG to see when and where odors are processed in the brain. Unpleasant odors were found to be processed earlier than pleasant ones, suggesting potential early warning system against dangers.
A new study found that COVID-19's delta surge led to a significant prevalence of smell and taste loss in approximately 100% of active cases, contradicting self-reports. The loss persists even after mild infections, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.
A new study by Bar-Ilan University researchers reveals that synchronized brain activity is crucial for information transfer between brain regions. Increasing synchronization improves transmission and processing of information, while decreasing it impairs cognitive function. This finding may contribute to the development of treatments f...
A team of scientists has discovered the molecular triggers of parosmia, a distorted sense of smell, and identified compounds responsible for triggering the sense of disgust. The study found that certain highly potent odor molecules in coffee can lead to this experience.
Male mice exhibit increased stress hormones and decreased pain sensitivity when near pregnant or lactating females, which is linked to a specific olfactory signal. This finding has significant implications for improving experiment reliability and represents a breakthrough in mammalian social signaling.
The 44th AChemS meeting investigates how COVID-19 affects olfactory function, leading to significant symptomology and quality of life impacts. Researchers will discuss recent findings on chemosensory testing and COVID-19, as well as the relationship between smell and depression.
A study of 309 people with long COVID found that fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of sense of smell were the most persistent symptoms. The research also revealed that factors such as history of hospitalization, diabetes, and body mass index increased the risk of developing Long COVID.
A Johns Hopkins Medicine-led study found that COVID-19-induced loss of smell is linked to inflammation-caused nerve damage, weakening odor signals to the brain. The researchers discovered more severe vascular injury and fewer axons in the olfactory bulb of patients with diminished or complete loss of smell.
A study published in Current Biology found that people share similar odour preferences regardless of cultural background. The researchers discovered that the structure of the odour molecule determines whether a smell is considered pleasant or not.
New research suggests the brain uses multiple strategies to process smells, employing both snapshot-like and evolving ensemble approaches. The study provides new tools for scientists to quantify and interpret brain activity patterns.