Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Neurolinguistic Perspective of the Study of Olfaction

  • Chapter
Science of Olfaction

Abstract

It is widely accepted that naming odors is a difficult task. In normal subjects, it is common to smell an odor and to recognize that it is familiar and belongs to a general class or category, but to be unable to come up with a specific label for it. This is known as the tip-of-the-nose phenomenon (Lawless and Engen, 1977). Several factors play a role here: (1) The encoding of an odor is highly experience-specific, so retrieval out of context is an arduous task; (2) it is difficult to “imagine” an odor, that is, there are no odor images as there are visual images; (3) there is no universally accepted classification system for odors (i.e., pungent, spicy, etc.), leading to greater reliance on specific item associations; (4) the associations made with odors tend not to be lexical, that is, they are made with a context and/or an object within that context.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Andy, O.J., M.F. Jurko, and J.R. Hughes (1975). The amygdala in relation to olfaction Confinia Neurol. Proc. 6th Symp. Int. Soc. Res. Stereoencephalotomy, Tokyo, 1973, pt. II, 37, 215–222.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett, J.C. (1977). Remembering environmental sounds: The role of verbalization at input. Memory Cognition, 5, 404–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barton, M. (1971). Recall of generic properties of words in aphasic patients. Cortex, 7, 73–82.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bayles, K., and A. Kaszniak (1987). Communication and Cognition in Normal Aging and Dementia. Boston: Little, Brown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauvois, M.F., B. Saillant, V. Meininger, and F. L’Hermitte (1978). Bilateral tactile aphasia: a tacto-verbal dysfunction. Brain,101, 381–401.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J.W. (1972). Aphasia, Apraxia and Agnosia. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J.W. (1988). The Life of the Mind. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., and D. McNeill (1966). The “tip of the tongue” phenomenon. J. Verbal Learning Verbal Behav., 5, 325–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S. (1977). Physical and cognitive limitations on olfactory processing in human beings. In D. Muller-Schwarze and M.M. Mozell (Eds.), Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. New York: Plenum, pp. 287–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S. (1977). Bilateral interaction in olfaction. Nature,268, 50–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S. (1979). To know with the nose: keys to odor identification. Science, 203, 467–470.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S. (1980). Chemosensation and cognition. In H. van der Starre (Ed.), Olfaction and Taste, vol. 7. London: IRL pp. 347–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S., and R.J. Krause (1979). Olfactory testing: rules for odor identification. Neurol. Res., 1, 1–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S., J. Gent, F.A. Catalanotto, and R.B. Goodspeed (1983). Clinical evaluation of olfaction. Am. J. Otolaryngol., 4, 252–256.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cain, W.S., and J.F. Gent (1986) Using odor identification in clinical testing of olfaction. In H.L. Meiselman and R.S. Rivlin (Eds.), Clinical Measurement of Taste and Smell. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chertkow, H., and D. Bub (1988). Disorders of semantic storage: do they exist in Alzheimer’s disease? Acad. Aphasia, Montreal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chobor, K.L., and J.W. Brown (1990). Semantic deterioration in Alzheimer’s: The patterns to expect. Geriatrics, 45(10), 68–75.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, E.V. (1975). Knowledge, context and strategy in the acquistion of meaning. In D.P. Dato (Ed.), University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corwin, J., M. Serby, P. Conrad, and J. Rotrosen (1985). Olfactory recognition deficits in Alzheimer’s and Parkinsonian dementias. ICRS Med. Sci., 13, 260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Damasio, A.R. (1985). The frontal lobes. In K.M. Heilman and E. Valenstein (Eds.), Clin. Neuropsychol., New York: Oxford University Press, 2nd Ed. p. 365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.G. (1975). Acquisition of verbal associations to olfactory stimuli of varying familiarity and to abstract visual stimuli. J. Exp. Psychol., 104, 134–142.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.G. (1977). Acquisition of verbal associations to olfactory and abstract visual stimuli of varying similarity. J. Exp. Psychol., 3, 37–51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doty, R.L., P. Shaman, S.L. Applebaum, R. Gilberson, L. Sikorski, and L. Rosenberg (1984). Smell identification ability: changes with age. Science, 226, 1441–1443.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doty, R.L., P. Shaman, and M. Dann (1984). Development of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test: a standard microencapsulated test of olfactory function. Physiol. Behav., 32, 489–502.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doty, R.L., P. Reyes, and T. Gregor (1987). Presence of both odor identification and detection deficits in Alzeimer’s disease. Brain Res. Bull., 18, 597–600.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eich, J.E. (1978). Fragrances as cues for remembering words. J. Verbal Learning Behav., 17, 103–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T. (1982). The Perception of Odors. New York: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T. (1983). The human uses of olfaction. Am. J. Otolaryngol., 4, 250–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T. (1987). Remembering odors and their names. Am. Sci.,75, 497–503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T., and C. Pfaffman (1960). Absolute judgments of odor quality. J. Exp. Psychol., 59, 214–219.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T., J.E. Kuisma, and P.D. Eimas (1973). Short-term memory of odors. J. Exp. Psychol., 99, 222–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T., and B.M. Ross (1973). Long-term memory of odors with and without verbal descriptions. J. Exp. Psychol., 100, 221–227.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engen, T., and J. Eaton (1975). Free recall of odor and color names. Unpublished manuscript, Brown University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Folstein, M.F., S.E. Folstein, and P.R. McHigh (1975). “Mini-Mental State.” J. Psychiatr. Res., 12, 189–198.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gainotti, G. (1987). The status of the semantic-lexical structures in anomia. Aphasiology, 1(6), 449–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, K. (1948). Language and Language Disturbances: Aphasie Symptom Complexes and Their Significance for Medicine and Theory of Language. New York: Grune and Stratton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodglass, H., B. Klein, P. Carey, and K.J. James (1966). Specific semantic word categories in aphasia. Cortex,2, 74–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodglass, H., M. Barton, and E. Kaplan (1968). Sensory modality and object-naming in aphasia. J. Speech Hearing Res., 11, 488–496.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodglass, H., and E. Kaplan (1972). Assessment of Aphasia and Related Disorders. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grober, E., H. Buschke, C. Kawas, and P. Fuld (1985). Impaired ranking of semantic attributes in dementia. Brain Lang., 26, 276–286.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, J., Jr., R.S. Berndt, and A. Caramazza (1985). Category-specific naming deficit following cerebral infarction. Nature,576(6027), 439–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hecaen, H., M.C. Goldblum, M.C. Masure, and A.M. Ramier (1974). Une nouvelle observation d’agnosie d’objet. Deficit de l’association, ou de la categorisation, specifique de la modalite visuelle? Neuropsychologia, 12, 447–464.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huff, F., S. Corkin, and J. Growdon, (1986) Semantic impairment and anomia in Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Lang.,28, 235–249.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby, L.L., and F.I.M. Craik (1979). Effects of elaboration of processing at encoding and retrieval: Trace distinctiveness and recovery of initial context. In L.S. Cermak and F.I.M. Craik (Eds.), Levels of Processing in Human Memory. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koss, E., J. Weiffenbach, J. Haxby, and R. Friedland (1988). Olfactory detection and identification performance are dissociated in early Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology,338(8), 1228–1232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz, K.H., and C.I. Hovlan (1953). The effect of verbalization during observation of stimulus objects upon accuracy of recognition and recall. J. Exp. Psychol., 45(3), 157–164.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laird, D.A. (1935). What can you do with your nose? Sci. Monthly,41, 126–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawless, H.T., and W.S. Cain, (1975). Recognition memory for odors. Chem. Senses,1, 331–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawless, H.T., and T. Engen (1977). Associations to odors: interference, mnemonics, and verbal learning. J. Exp. Psychol. 3, 52–59.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mair, R.G., and T. Engen (1976). Some effects of aphasic lesions on odor perception. Sensory Processes, 1, 33–39.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mair, R.G., C. Capra, W.J. McEntee, and T. Engen (1980). Odor discrimination and memory in Korsakoff’s psychosis. J. Exp. Psychol., 6, 445–458.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mark, V.W., and K.L. Chobor (1990). Influences on the speech comprehension deficit in cortical auditory disorder. Aphasiology, 4(5), 587–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, A., and P. Fedio (1983). Word production and comprehension in Alzheimer’s disease: the breakdown of semantic knowledge. Brain Lang., 19; 124–141.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mozell, M., D.E. Hornung, D.A. Leopold, and S.L. Youngentob (1983). Initial mechanisms basic to olfactory perception. Am. J. Otolaryngol., 4, 238–245.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, C, and W.S. Cain (1986). Odor identification: the blind are better. Physiol. Behav., 37, 177–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peabody, C, and J. Tinklenberg (1985). Olfactory deficits and primary degenerative dementia. Am. J. Psychiatry, 142, 524–525.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Postman, L., K. Stark, and J. Fraser (1968). Temporal changes in interference. J. Verbal Learning Behav., 7, 672–694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, H., and N. Butters (1980). An assessment of olfactory deficits in patients with damage to prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychologia, 18, 621–628.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, H. (1975). The meaning of “meaning.” In K. Gunderson (Ed.). Language, Mind and Knowledge, Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science. Vol. 7. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabin, M.D., and W.S. Cain (1984). Odor recognition: familiarity, identifiability, and encoding consistency. J. Exp. Psychol., 10(2), 316–325.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Randt, C.T., E.R. Brown, and D.P. Osborne (1980). A memory test for longitudinal measurement of mild to moderate deficiencies. Clin. Neurosychol., 2, 184–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisberg, B., S.H. Ferris, M.J. de Leon, and T. Crook (1982). Global deterioration scale (GDS) for age-associated cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Am. J. Psychiatry, 139, 1136–1139.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rezak, D.L. (1987). Olfactory deficits as a neurologic sign in dementia of the Alzheimer type. Arch. Neurol., 44, 1030–1032.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serby, M. (1985). Olfactory dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Am. J. Psychiatry, 142, 781–782.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serby, M., P. Larson, D. Kalkstein (1991). The nature and course of olfactory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. Am. J. Psychiatry, 148, 357–360.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shallice, T., and E.K. Warrington (1975). Word recognition in a phonemic dyslexic patient. Q. J. Exp. Psychol., 27, 187–199.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shepard, R.N. (1967). Recognition memory for words, sentences, and pictures. J. Verbal Learning Behav., 6, 156–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toglia, M.P., and W.F. Battig (1978). Handbook of Semantic Norms. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandette, J.M. (1964). A clinical study of responses to olfactory stimuli in aphasic adults. Unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Oregon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, M., et al. (1986). Olfactory deficits and Alzheimer’s disease. Biol. Psychiat., 21, 116.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warrington, E., and T. Shallice (1984). Category specific semantic impairment. Brain,107, 829.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, R.H. (1964). The Science of Smell. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, R.H., and R.E. Burgess (1971). Molecular mechanisms of olfactory discrimination and sensitivity. In G. Ohloff and A.F. Thomas (Eds.), Gustation and Olfaction. London: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamadori, A., and M.L. Albert (1973). Word category aphasia. Cortex, 9, 112–125.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Karen L. Chobor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, New York, 10029, USA

    Michael J. Serby MD

  2. Department of Neurology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10016, USA

    Karen L. Chobor MS

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chobor, K.L. (1992). A Neurolinguistic Perspective of the Study of Olfaction. In: Serby, M.J., Chobor, K.L. (eds) Science of Olfaction. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2836-3_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2836-3_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7690-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-2836-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation