An Apparatus to Control Odorous Stimuli for Olfactory Evoked Potentials

Abstract

We developed an apparatus for odorous stimuli control to record olfactory evoked potentials from human scalp. The characteristics of the apparatus were as follows. 1. Translating the subjects respiration into electric signals with a sensor attached to the nose. The period and timing of odorous stimuli could be adjusted, so that stimuli could be synchronous with respiration. 2. The respirations translated into electric signals were made constant in amplitude by using an auto gain control circuit. 3. The interstimulus interval of odorous could be arbitrarily selected once every 1 to 9 respirations so that adaptation could be prevented. We obtained olfactory - evoked potentials (OEPs) to odorous stimuli using this apparatus from the site of Cz, whose positive peak latencies were approximately 180 ± 23ms. Such response were not recorded if oxygen stimuli(Control) were used instead of odorous or with click sounds produced by the switching electromagnetic valve.

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