Journal of neural transmission
-
We measured brain activities with a whole head magnetoencephalograph (MEG) to investigate the influence of a background odor on alphabetical encoding of words in 20 healthy volunteers (10 females). Odor stimulation and control air stimulation were both accomplished with a computer-controlled olfactometer by providing permanent stimulation conditions. Behavioral data revealed significantly prolonged reaction times in men under the influence of phenylethyl alcohol (PEA) compared to the control condition. ⋯ Analysis of grand averaged, event-related fields and localization of the underlying equivalent current dipoles revealed higher dipole strength in the odor, compared to the control condition in the right hemisphere, over the temporo-parietal brain areas, in the time range between 200 and 500 ms after word-onset only in male subjects. Within this time range, the gender-specific effect is interpreted to reflect odor-related modulation of word processing. The findings suggest gender-specific processing strategies in the present task with implications for differences in hemispheric laterality.