Masako Okamoto The University of Tokyo Department of Applied Biological Chemistry Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Olfaction is a chemical sense, and the effects of a particular odor on humans should depend on the coding of the chemical features of odorants in the brain. However, much remains unknown about the representation of odors in the human brain, especially the representation of low-level features in the early stages of processing. This research project utilizes electroencephalography (EEG) to measure human brain activity during odor presentation. Through multivariate pattern analysis, we aim to examine when and how the chemical features of odors are represented in the brain and their relationship with participants’ olfactory behaviors and physiological responses to odors. By doing so, we hope to gain insights into the neural basis underlying the physiological and psychological effects of odors on humans.