Neural correlates of olfactory working memory in the human brain

作者：Zhuoni Li, Shubin Li, Shaozhen Tan, Lu‐lu Liu, Chao Yan, Laiquan Zou · 发表于：NeuroImage · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121005 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies、Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research、Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies

• Olfactory n-back task is more challenging than visual n-back task. • Olfactory working memory engages cross-modal regions involved in working memory. • Olfactory working memory has a unique activation pattern compared to visual memory. • High-verbalizability odors enhance activation in semantic processing brain regions. Previous research has revealed that the insula, pallidum, thalamus, hippocampus, middle frontal gyrus, and supplementary motor area are activated during odor memory and that the performance of olfactory working memory is affected by the verbalization of odors. However, the neural mechanisms underlying olfactory working memory and the role of verbalization in olfactory working memory are not fully understood. Twenty-nine participants were enrolled in a study to complete olfactory and visual n-back tasks using high- and low-verbalizability stimuli while undergoing fMRI imaging. The behavioral results showed that the participants achieved greater accuracy in the visual rather than olfactory n-back task. We observed increased activation in the precentral gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, and inferior parietal gyrus during olfactory working memory. Interestingly, decreased activation was observed in the olfactory 2-back task versus the 0-back task. Moreover, the left angular gyrus and inferior parietal gyrus were more strongly activated during processing of olfactory working memory using high-verbalizability odors. In ...