Identification of new behavioral parameters to assess odorant hedonic value in humans: A naturalistic approach.
Behavioral response
Human olfaction
Odor hedonics
Preference
Reward system
Journal
Journal of neuroscience methods
ISSN: 1872-678X
Titre abrégé: J Neurosci Methods
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7905558
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
15 01 2022
15 01 2022
Historique:
received:
28
06
2021
revised:
04
11
2021
accepted:
18
11
2021
pubmed:
27
11
2021
medline:
17
3
2022
entrez:
26
11
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
When you smell an odorant, your first reaction will certainly be either I like it or I dislike it. This primary reaction is a reflection of what is called the "hedonic value" of the odor. Very often, this hedonic value dominates the olfactory percept, more than olfactory identification or intensity. This component of olfactory perception is of primary importance for guiding behavior: avoiding danger (the smell of smoke, gas, etc.), consuming food, or seduction. Olfactory hedonics can be assessed using a large number of methods in humans, including psychophysical measures, autonomic responses, measurement of facial expressions or peripheral nervous activity. All of these techniques have their limitations: subjectivity, invasiveness, need for expertise, etc. A NEW METHOD: The olfactory system is closely linked to the reward system, the role of which is to mediate motivated behavior. In this context, we propose that the capacity odorants have of recruiting the reward system and thus inducing motivated behavior can be used to identify new behavioral parameters to assess odor hedonic value in humans. We recorded freely moving human participants exploring odors emanating from flasks, and showed that five parameters linked to motivated behavior were closely linked to odor hedonics: speed of approach to the nose and withdrawal of the flask containing the odorant, distance between flask and nose, number of samplings, and withdrawal distance (maximal distance between nose and flask after odor sampling). We highlighted new non-verbal and non-invasive parameters to evaluate olfactory hedonics in humans based on the assessment of odor-motivated behavior.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
When you smell an odorant, your first reaction will certainly be either I like it or I dislike it. This primary reaction is a reflection of what is called the "hedonic value" of the odor. Very often, this hedonic value dominates the olfactory percept, more than olfactory identification or intensity. This component of olfactory perception is of primary importance for guiding behavior: avoiding danger (the smell of smoke, gas, etc.), consuming food, or seduction. Olfactory hedonics can be assessed using a large number of methods in humans, including psychophysical measures, autonomic responses, measurement of facial expressions or peripheral nervous activity. All of these techniques have their limitations: subjectivity, invasiveness, need for expertise, etc. A NEW METHOD: The olfactory system is closely linked to the reward system, the role of which is to mediate motivated behavior. In this context, we propose that the capacity odorants have of recruiting the reward system and thus inducing motivated behavior can be used to identify new behavioral parameters to assess odor hedonic value in humans.
RESULTS
We recorded freely moving human participants exploring odors emanating from flasks, and showed that five parameters linked to motivated behavior were closely linked to odor hedonics: speed of approach to the nose and withdrawal of the flask containing the odorant, distance between flask and nose, number of samplings, and withdrawal distance (maximal distance between nose and flask after odor sampling).
CONCLUSIONS
We highlighted new non-verbal and non-invasive parameters to evaluate olfactory hedonics in humans based on the assessment of odor-motivated behavior.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34826503
pii: S0165-0270(21)00357-5
doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109422
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
109422Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.