Odour discrimination and identification are improved in early blindness

Cuevas, Isabel; Plaza, Paula; Rombaux, Philippe; Volder, Anne De; Renier, Laurent

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.07.004

Cited by 74 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Indeed, congenitally blind individuals have supra-normal discrimination skills in tactile [2][3][4], auditory [5][6][7] and olfactory [8][9][10] modalities. In a previous study, we measured warmth and cold detection thresholds as well as heat and cold pain thresholds and responses to supra-thresholds heat stimulation in congenital blind subjects [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced heat discrimination in congenital blindness

Slimani

Ptito

Kupers

2015

Behavioural Brain Research

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced heat discrimination in congenital blindness

Slimani

Ptito

Kupers

2015

Behavioural Brain Research

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“…As with sex differences, it appears there is stronger evidence of better odor naming by the blind (e.g., Cuevas et al, 2009;Murphy & Cain, 1986;Renier et al, 2013;Rombaux et al, 2010;Rosenbluth et al, 2000;Wakefield et al, 2004; although see Cornell Ka¨rnekull et al, 2016;Sorokowska, 2016). Studies of odor identification using a forced-choice paradigm, on the other hand, show no differences between blind people and controls (e.g., Beaulieu-Lefebvre et al, 2011;Ç omog˘lu et al, 2015;Cuevas et al, 2010;Cuevas et al, 2009;Guducu et al, 2016;Iversen, Ptito, Møller, & Kupers, 2015;Luers et al, 2014;Rosenbluth et al, 2000;Smith et al, 1993;Sorokowska, 2016); although it appears blind people might be better at identifying emotions such as fear and disgust from sweat smells (Iversen et al, 2015).…”

Section: Plasticity and Sensory Lossmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Studies of odor identification using a forced-choice paradigm, on the other hand, show no differences between blind people and controls (e.g., Beaulieu-Lefebvre et al, 2011;Ç omog˘lu et al, 2015;Cuevas et al, 2010;Cuevas et al, 2009;Guducu et al, 2016;Iversen, Ptito, Møller, & Kupers, 2015;Luers et al, 2014;Rosenbluth et al, 2000;Smith et al, 1993;Sorokowska, 2016); although it appears blind people might be better at identifying emotions such as fear and disgust from sweat smells (Iversen et al, 2015).…”

Section: Plasticity and Sensory Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Makes a Better Smeller?

et al. 2017

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Olfaction is often viewed as difficult, yet the empirical evidence suggests a different picture. A closer look shows people around the world differ in their ability to detect, discriminate, and name odors. This gives rise to the question of what influences our ability to smell. Instead of focusing on olfactory deficiencies, this review presents a positive perspective by focusing on factors that make someone a better smeller. We consider three driving forces in improving olfactory ability: one's biological makeup, one's experience, and the environment. For each factor, we consider aspects proposed to improve odor perception and critically examine the evidence; as well as introducing lesser discussed areas. In terms of biology, there are cases of neurodiversity, such as olfactory synesthesia, that serve to enhance olfactory ability. Our lifetime experience, be it typical development or unique training experience, can also modify the trajectory of olfaction. Finally, our odor environment, in terms of ambient odor or culinary traditions, can

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“…2A; Beaulieu-Lefebvre et al, 2011;Cuevas et al, 2010). Furthermore, the ability to discriminate (Cuevas et al, 2009) and correctly name odours from everyday life (e.g., pipe tobacco, leather, ketchup, etc.) is increased in blind adults (Murphy and Cain, 1986;Cuevas et al, 2009) and children (Rosenbluth et al, 2000); the height ened olfactory perceptions are notable when participants are asked to name an odour without being given any cues.…”

Section: Iesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Making Sense of the Chemical Senses

2014

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We review our recent behavioural and imaging studies testing the consequences of congenital blind ness on the chemical senses in comparison with the condition of anosmia. We found that congenitally blind (CB) subjects have increased sensitivity for orthonasal odorants and recmit their visually de prived occipital cortex to process orthonasal olfactory stimuli. In sharp contrast, CB perform less well than sighted controls in taste and retronasal olfaction, i.e. when processing chemicals inside the mouth. Interestingly, CB do not recruit their occipital cortex to process taste stimuli. In contrast to these findings in blindness, congenital anosmia is associated with lower taste and trigeminal sensitiv ity, accompanied by weaker activations within the 'flavour network' upon exposure to such stimuli. We conclude that functional adaptations to congenital anosmia or blindness are quite distinct, such that CB can train their exteroceptive chemical senses and recruit normally visual cortical areas to process chemical information from the surrounding environment.

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Odour discrimination and identification are improved in early blindness

Cited by 74 publications

References 36 publications

Enhanced heat discrimination in congenital blindness

Enhanced heat discrimination in congenital blindness

What Makes a Better Smeller?

Making Sense of the Chemical Senses

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