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Name that odor - EurekAlert

<p>Our brains process odors differently depending on the names assigned to them, according to new research. Participants were asked to sniff similar odors, for example two citrus scents, and then rate how dissimilar they thought the odors were. Researchers found that identical odors which had been given different names were rated as being more dissimilar than if they were labeled as being the same. By using ultrahigh-field functional MRI technology, the researchers could see how the information, the odor and labels, was processed in the area of the brain that identifies odor, and how this differed depending on the label used. This research helps us better understand the context-dependent experience of odors and how language can affect our daily life.&nbsp;</p>

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