Spatial distribution of the EOG in the rat; a variation with odour quality.

The spatial distribution of olfactory receptors in the rat has been studied by simultaneous recordings of the electroolfactograms (EOGs) from areas of the olfactory mucosa. The potentials were recorded from the dorsal surface of the cribriform plate, leaving the mucosa and the nasal cavities intact. The ratio between the peak amplitude of the EOG potentials served as a measure of the relative sensitivity of one area against the other. The results obtained by stimulating with 31 substances at 38 positions demonstrate a non-homogeneous distribution of different receptors. Each substance gives a spatial pattern of response efficiency. The response distributions are mapped on the cribriform plate for the different odours.