title: Cross-modal integration between odors and abstract symbols.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the cross-modal association of an "abstract symbol," designed for representation of an odor, with its corresponding odor. First, to explore the associations of abstract symbols with odors, participants were asked to match 8 odors with 19 different abstract symbols (Experiment 1). Next, we determined whether congruent symbols could modulate olfactory perception and olfactory event-related potentials (ERPs) (Experiment 2). One of two odors (phenylethanol (PEA) or 1-butanol) was presented with one of three conditions (congruent or incongruent symbol, no-symbol), and participants were asked to rate odor intensity and pleasantness during olfactory ERP recordings. Experiment 1 demonstrated that certain abstract symbols could be paired with specific odors. In Experiment 2 congruent symbol enhanced the intensity of PEA compared to no-symbol presentation. In addition, the respective congruent symbol increased the pleasantness of PEA and the unpleasantness of 1-butanol. Finally, compared to the incongruent symbol, the congruent symbol produced significantly higher amplitudes and shorter latencies in the N1 peak of olfactory ERPs. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that abstract symbols may be associated with specific odors.
authors.affiliation: Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Han-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Artin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arshamian
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schemmer
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Scheer
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D020001:1-Butanol; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol; D011601:Psychophysics; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020001:1-Butanol; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol