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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 97/3/1941    most recent 01305.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Scott, J. W. Articles by Phan, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Scott, J. W. Articles by Phan, M.

Responses of the Rat Olfactory Epithelium to Retronasal Air Flow

¹Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine; and ²Nutrition and Health Sciences Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Science, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Submitted 13 December 2006; accepted in final form 3 January 2007

Responses of the rat olfactory epithelium were assessed with the electroolfactogram while odorants were presented to the external nares with an artificial sniff or to the internal nares by positive pressure. A series of seven odorants that varied from very polar, hydrophilic odorants to very nonpolar, hydrophobic odorants were used. Although the polar odorants activated the dorsal olfactory epithelium when presented by the external nares (orthonasal presentation), they were not effective when forced through the nasal cavity from the internal nares (retronasal presentation). However, the nonpolar odorants were effective in both stimulus modes. These results were independent of stimulus concentration or of humidity of the carrier air. Similar results were obtained with multiunit recordings from olfactory bulb. These results help to explain why human investigations often report differences in the sensation or ability to discriminate odorants presented orthonasally versus retronasally. The results also strongly support the importance of odorant sorption in normal olfactory processes.

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				J. W. Scott and L. Sherrill Effects of Odor Stimulation on Antidromic Spikes in Olfactory Sensory Neurons J Neurophysiol, December 1, 2008; 100(6): 3074 - 3085. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]