Overview
- A University of Tokyo team reports in the Journal of Neuroscience that odor identity and affect are processed at different times in the brain.
- Early theta-band activity beginning around 80 milliseconds and peaking near 370 milliseconds encodes low-level molecular features of odors.
- The fidelity of this theta coding correlates with individuals’ odor discrimination ability and is stronger on correct versus incorrect discrimination trials.
- A later delta-band response emerging from about 720 milliseconds reflects perceived pleasantness and aligns with self-reported affective reactivity to smells.
- Researchers propose these frequency-specific signals as potential biomarkers for olfactory assessment, though any clinical use remains preliminary.