Comparison of chemosensory, auditory and visual event-related potential amplitudes.
To enhance understanding of neuropsychological processing underlying chemosensory event-related potentials (CSERPs), the objective of the present study was to compare CSERPs with auditory (AERPs) and visual event-related potentials (VERPs), and to approach the question of similarities in neuropsychological processing by means of correlation and cluster analyses. A multisensory ERP protocol was used, in which olfactory/chemosomatosensory (pyridine), auditory (1000-Hz tone) and visual (white circle) stimuli were presented in a pseudo-randomized sequence to 18 young, healthy adults. The results show (1) a morphological relation between P2 and P3 components that is different for the chemosensory than for the auditory and visual modalities, (2) a relatively weak association between the chemosensory and auditory/visual modalities for P3 in terms of both correlation and cluster, and (3) a P2/P3 cluster for the chemosensory but not auditory or visual modality. This supports the claim that the chemosensory P2 and P3 components reflect similar neuropsychological processes.
Olofsson
Jonas K
JK
Department of Psychology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. jonas.olofsson@psy.umu.se
Ericsson
Eva
E
Nordin
Steven
S
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology