title: A psychophysical test of the vibration theory of olfaction.
abstract: At present, no satisfactory theory exists to explain how a given molecule results in the perception of a particular smell. One theory is that olfactory sensory neurons detect intramolecular vibrations of the odorous molecule. We used psychophysical methods in humans to test this vibration theory of olfaction and found no evidence to support it.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 63, New York New York, 10021, USA. kellera@mail.rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Leslie B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Vosshall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011601:Psychophysics; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014732:Vibration
chemical_list: D018035:Receptors, Odorant