title: Objective assessment of olfactory function using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To show the results of a device that generates automated olfactory stimuli suitable for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten normal volunteers, 5 women and 5 men, were studied. The system allows the programming of several sequences, providing the capability to synchronise the onset of odour presentation with acquisition by a trigger signal of the MRI scanner. The olfactometer is a device that allows selection of the odour, the event paradigm, the time of stimuli and the odour concentration. The paradigm used during fMRI scanning consisted of 15-s blocks. The odorant event took 2s with butanol, mint and coffee.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed olfactory activity in the olfactory bulb, entorhinal cortex (4%), amygdala (2.5%) and temporo-parietal cortex, especially in the areas related to emotional integration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The device has demonstrated its effectiveness in stimulating olfactory areas and its capacity to adapt to fMRI equipment.
authors.affiliation: Consulta de Olfato, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain. atoledano@fhalcorcon.es
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toledano
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borromeo
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Ana Beatriz
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Solana
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García-Polo
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Álvarez-linera
mesh_terms: D020001:1-Butanol; D003069:Coffee; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D027541:Mentha; D009812:Odorants; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee; D020001:1-Butanol