Neuroscience 2004 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 532.2 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Can your nose shine an attentional spotlight? |
| Authors: |
Porter, J. A.*1
; Zelano, C.1
; Mainland, J.2
; Johnson, B.2
; Bremner, E.2
; Khan, R.3
; Bensafi, M.3
; Sobel, N.1,2,3
1Biophsyics Grad. Group, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 2Helen Wills Neurosci., UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 3Psychology, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Sensory Systems - Chemical senses -- Olfaction: Behavior and clinical issues |
| Session: |
532. Olfaction: Behavior and Clinical Issues Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Monday, October 25, 2004 2:00 PM-3:00 PM |
| Location: | San Diego Convention Center - Hall A-H, Board # X18 |
| Keywords: | olfaction, attention, spatial, human |
Directed spatial attention in vision and audition enables heightened sensory acuity for events at known spatial locations. We asked whether a similar phenomenon exists in chemical sensing. Initially, we asked if humans have access to spatial information through chemosensation. We tested 33 subjects on a 16 trial left vs. right forced choice localization task. The odorants rose and strawberry (diluted 1:4 into proprionic acid) were generated by an air dilution olfactometer, and delivered via a divided nasal mask with separate left and right entry ports. As a group, subjects were slightly but significantly above chance in their ability to spatially localize the odorants (accuracy = 57.8%±2.7% t=2.841, p<0.01). This group-effect was carried by five subjects that were at accuracy = 78.8%±1.5%, t=51, p<0.001. To ask whether these subjects have directed spatial attention in chemosensation, we compared their odorant recognition accuracy and latency under two conditions: (1) cued trials where a pre-trial monitor arrow indicated the side (left vs. right) from which the odor was presented, and (2) uncued trials where no spatial cue was provided. In contrast to our expectation, we did not find a significant increase in accuracy (accuracy increase =5%, t=.711, p=.51) or decrease in reaction time on trials preceded by a spatial cue (latency decrease =-169ms t=.447, p=.677). This null result may reflect one of two alternatives: 1) that spatial attention does not exist in olfaction, or 2) that our experimental design failed to detect the attentional modulation that was there. To address the latter, we are repeating the experiment using modified temporal task parameters.
Supported by NSF, NIH
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2004 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2004. Online.
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