Laing D G, Panhuber H, Slotnick B M
CSIRO Food Research Laboratory, North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
Physiol Behav. 1989 Apr;45(4):689-94. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(89)90280-1.
A computer controlled behavioral apparatus and olfactometer were used to determine the olfactory threshold of rats for propionic acid and to determine their ability to discriminate propionic acid in binary mixtures that contained the dissimilar odorants, limonene or carvone, or a similar odorant, acetic acid. The concentration of propionic acid that rats required to discriminate this substance from the other odorants was substantially above that of the threshold concentration, the increase being greatest with acetic acid. The increased levels of propionic acid needed for detection of this odorant in mixtures is attributed to masking by the other components. This study represents the first time behavioral methods have been used to demonstrate masking with odor mixtures in a rodent. The results indicate that it should be possible to use behavioral methods to define conditions for odor masking in animals so that physiological studies of the underlying mechanisms can be achieved.
使用计算机控制的行为装置和嗅觉计来测定大鼠对丙酸的嗅觉阈值，并测定它们在含有不同气味剂（柠檬烯或香芹酮）或相似气味剂（乙酸）的二元混合物中辨别丙酸的能力。大鼠将丙酸与其他气味剂区分开来所需的浓度大大高于阈值浓度，与乙酸混合时增加幅度最大。混合物中检测这种气味剂所需的丙酸水平升高归因于其他成分的掩盖作用。这项研究首次使用行为方法来证明啮齿动物中气味混合物的掩盖作用。结果表明，应该可以使用行为方法来定义动物气味掩盖的条件，从而能够对潜在机制进行生理学研究。
