Olfactory Discrimination Ability for Aliphatic Odorants as a Function of Oxygen Moiety

摘要: We tested the ability of human subjects to distinguish between aliphatic odorants sharing same number carbon atoms but differing in their functional groups. 1-Alcohols, n-aldehydes, 2-ketones and n-carboxylic acids four, six eight atoms, respectively, were employed. In a forced-choice triangular test procedure 20 repeatedly presented with 18 odor pairs asked identify bottle containing odd stimulus. found (i) that as group, performed significantly above chance level all tasks thus clearly able discriminate presented; (ii) marked interindividual differences discrimination performance, ranging from who failed do so 1/3 tasks; (iii) lack significant performance male female, Japanese German subjects; (iv) involved and/or easier compared 1-alcohols clear dependence discriminability on type group; (v) (irrespective oxygen moiety) more difficult each other substances four or atoms. The results suggest groups may be an important determinant interaction stimulus molecule olfactory receptor substances, molecular property affecting quality substance class-specific manner.