Nostril-specific and structure-based olfactory learning of chiral discrimination in human adults

Practice makes perfect. In human olfaction, such plasticity is generally assumed to occur at the level of cortical synthetic processing that shares information from both nostrils. Here we present findings that challenge this view. In two experiments, we trained human adults unirhinally for the discr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:eLife 2019-01, Vol.8
Main Authors: Feng, Guo, Zhou, Wen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Adult
Butanols - chemistry
chiral discrimination
Chirality
Cortex
Cyclohexane Monoterpenes - chemistry
Discrimination Learning - physiology
Enantiomers
Experiments
Feedback
Female
generalization
Humans
Information processing
Limonene - chemistry
Male
Nasal Cavity - physiology
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
Neuroplasticity
Neuroscience
nostril specificity
Odorants - analysis
Odors
Olfaction
Olfactory discrimination learning
olfactory learning
Olfactory Pathways - physiology
Olfactory stimuli
Short Report
Smell - physiology
Stereoisomerism
Young Adult
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Summary:Practice makes perfect. In human olfaction, such plasticity is generally assumed to occur at the level of cortical synthetic processing that shares information from both nostrils. Here we present findings that challenge this view. In two experiments, we trained human adults unirhinally for the discrimination between odor enantiomers over a course of about 10 to 11 days. Results showed that training-induced perceptual gain was restricted to the trained nostril yet partially generalized to untrained odor enantiomers in a structure- rather than quality- based manner. In other words, learning enhanced the differentiation of chirality (molecular configuration) as opposed to overall odor quality (odor object) per se. These findings argue that, unlike earlier beliefs, one nostril does not readily know what the other learns. Moreover, the initial analytical processing of the structural features of uninarial olfactory input remains plastic in human adults.
ISSN:2050-084X
2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.41296