Cognitive modulation of olfactory processing

Ivan E. De Araujo, Edmund T. Rolls, Maria Inés Velazco, Christian Margot, Isabelle Cayeux

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

454 Scopus citations

Abstract

We showed how cognitive, semantic information modulates olfactory representations in the brain by providing a visual word descriptor, "cheddar cheese" or "body odor," during the delivery of a test odor (isovaleric acid with cheddar cheese flavor) and also during the delivery of clean air. Clean air labeled "air" was used as a control. Subjects rated the affective value of the test odor as significantly more unpleasant when labeled "body odor" than when labeled "cheddar cheese." In an event-related fMRI design, we showed that the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)/medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was significantly more activated by the test stimulus and by clean air when labeled "cheddar cheese" than when labeled "body odor," and the activations were correlated with the pleasantness ratings. This cognitive modulation was also found for the test odor (but not for the clean air) in the amygdala bilaterally.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)671-679
Number of pages9
JournalNeuron
Volume46
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 19 May 2005
Externally publishedYes

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