Enhancement of Olfactory Discrimination.
Abstract
A new testing facility for research on canine olfaction was established. Instrumentation incorporates recent improvements in odor stimulus production and control techniques and provides a means -- through automated program control -- to obtain simultaneous measurements from up to four independent testing chambers. Enhancement of odor detection performance following systemic administration of the same odorant ('sensitization') generally occurs from 5 to 12 days after ingestion of a small measured quantity of the odorant. The maximum performance level subsequently achieved is seen as an elevation of scores roughly equivalent to that typical for a ten-fold higher test concentration. This performance elevation either declines back to baseline, within about one week, or is sustained for many weeks. The sensitization effect does not occur if the ingested odorant differs markedly in structure from the behavioral testing odorant, a finding that indicates relative specificity of the effect and suggests that its site of origin is at the receptor level. A comparison was made of the performance of German shepherds and Fox terriers during the initial acquisition phase of training on a forced-choice odor detection task. Handlers directly controlled the dogs by the use of a hand-held lead and voice commands.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA115117
Entities
People
- D. G. Moulton
Organizations
- University of Pennsylvania