Laterality of the Olfactory Event-Related Potential Response

Abstract

In experimental practice, odors are commonly applied to only one nostril for recordings of olfactory event-related potentials (OERPs), but the lateralization aspect of the OERP response is unclear regarding both stimulated nostril and cortical topography. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether stimulated-nostril side affects OERP amplitudes and latencies and whether these potentials indicate lateralization of brain response in healthy, right-handed, young adults. OERPs were recorded from nine electrode sites in response to monorhinal stimulation with amyl acetate in 28 participants. The results showed a general increase in amplitude from frontal to parietal electrode sites (in particular for N1/P3) and generally larger amplitudes on the left hemisphere and midline than on the right hemisphere. There was no main effect of stimulated-nostril side on amplitude. Interactions indicated that N1/P2 amplitude was larger for left- than right-nostril stimulation and larger on the left hemisphere and midline than on the right hemisphere in left-nostril stimulation. No main effect or interactions of stimulated-nostril side over latencies were found and no effects on latencies of sagittal or coronal sites. These findings suggest a general parietal, left-hemisphere predominance in response amplitude to odorous stimulation and imply that either the left or the right nostril may be sufficient for accurate assessment of OERP latency in right-handed, young adults.

Abnormal event-related potentials in young and middle-aged adults with the ApoE ε4 allele

“…Repeated measures multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were performed for each ERP component and each stimulus modality separately by amplitude and latency. The Pz electrode site was analyzed, as this electrode consistently demonstrates reliable OERP responses (Thesen and Murphy, 2002), and in many studies demonstrates larger peak amplitudes than more lateral electrode sites (Morgan et al, 1997, 2010; Murphy et al, 1994b, 2000; Nordin et al, 1999; Olofsson et al, 2006; Thesen and Murphy, 2002). Greenhouse-Geisser corrections were applied to all MANOVAs.…”

Cortico-subcortical metabolic correlates of olfactory processing in healthy resting subjects

“…Previous olfactory neuroimaging studies have demonstrated a bilateral activation in primary olfactory cortex and greater activation in the right than in the left orbitofrontal cortex172627. Possible explanation for this inconsistency could be related to the experimental model setting in which any retrieval/recognition task of the incoming stimulus was generated.…”

Olfaction and Cognition in Schizophrenia: Sex Matters

“…54 Event-related potential studies of central olfactory processing also do not reveal main effects for right versus left nostril odor presentations. 55, 56 We did not control for menstrual cycle, which could theoretically modulate differential relationships of odor threshold and smell identification to cognitive functioning between males and females. Lastly, we included both patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in the study.…”