1
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Bouguiyoud N, Xie WB, Bronchti G, Frasnelli J, Al Aïn S. Enhanced maternal behaviors in a mouse model of congenital blindness. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22406. [PMID: 37607896 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, mothering is one of the most important prosocial female behavior to promote survival, proper sensorimotor, and emotional development of the offspring. Different intrinsic and extrinsic factors can initiate and maintain these behaviors, such as hormonal, cerebral, and sensory changes. Infant cues also stimulate multisensory systems and orchestrate complex maternal responsiveness. To understand the maternal behavior driven by complex sensory interactions, it is necessary to comprehend the individual sensory systems by taking out other senses. An excellent model for investigating sensory regulation of maternal behavior is a murine model of congenital blindness, the ZRDBA mice, where both an anophthalmic and sighted mice are generated from the same litter. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether visual inputs are essential to driving maternal behaviors in mice. Maternal behaviors were assessed using three behavioral tests, including the pup retrieval test, the home cage maternal behavior test, and the maternal aggression test. Our results show that blind mothers (1) took less time to retrieve their offspring inside the nest, (2) spent more time nursing and licking their offspring in the second- and third-week postpartum, and (3) exhibited faster aggressive behaviors when exposed to an intruder male, compared to the sighted counterparts. This study provides evidence that congenitally blind mothers show more motivation to retrieve the pups, care, and protection towards their pups than sighted ones, likely due to a phenomenon of sensory compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nouhaila Bouguiyoud
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wen Bin Xie
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gilles Bronchti
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Johannes Frasnelli
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Syrina Al Aïn
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Chouinard‐Leclaire C, Manescu S, Collignon O, Lepore F, Frasnelli J. Altered morphological traits along central olfactory centers in congenitally blind subjects. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4486-4500. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Simona Manescu
- Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC) Université de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Olivier Collignon
- Institutes for research in Psychology (IPSY) and Neurosciences (IoNS) University of Louvain Belgium
| | - Franco Lepore
- Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC) Université de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Johannes Frasnelli
- Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC) Université de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
- Department of Anatomy Université du Québec à Trois‐Rivières Canada
- Centre d’études avancées en médecine du sommeil (CÉAMS), Centre de Recherche de l’Hôpital du Sacré‐Cœur de Montréal, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Nord‐de‐l’Île‐de‐Montréal (CIUSSS du Nord‐de‐l’Île‐de‐Montréal) Canada
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3
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Pieniak M, Lachowicz-Tabaczek K, Karwowski M, Oleszkiewicz A. Sensory compensation beliefs among blind and sighted individuals. Scand J Psychol 2021; 63:72-82. [PMID: 34708412 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The process of neural and behavioral reorganization following sensory loss is known as sensory compensation. Typically, it is believed that sensory loss is followed by increased acuity of the intact modalities. Indeed, many studies compared blind and sighted individuals' sensitivity of the intact sensory modalities. Yet, it remains poorly understood whether sensory compensation is reflected in the lay beliefs of those, whom it concerns. We examined whether blind and sighted individuals believe that their lack of vision is compensated by increased sensitivity of the intact senses. Study 1 (n = 63) aimed to compare the ratings of sensory sensitivity made by blind and sighted people. Participants rated the sensory sensitivity of a blind population in four modalities (i.e., olfaction, audition, gustation, touch) and compared it to the sensory sensitivity of a sighted population. In Study 2 (n = 191) participants rated their own sensory sensitivity in four modalities. Each participant referred to (1) people of the same sensory status and (2) people of the opposite sensory status. The level of global self-esteem was controlled to verify self-enhancing nature of these beliefs. The results of both studies showed that the beliefs about sensory compensation are shared by blind and sighted participants on group and on individual levels. The self-enhancement underpinning of these beliefs was most pronounced in gustatory sensitivity assessment. Psychological and medical consequences of sensory compensation beliefs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pieniak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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4
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology University of Wroclaw Wroclaw Poland
- Taste and Smell Centre Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
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5
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Sorokowska A, Janczak A, Ferdenzi C, Baldovini N, Oleszkiewicz A. Blindness, But Not HMHA Anosmia, Predicts Loneliness: A Psychophysical Study. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2021; 48:1167-1176. [PMID: 34323148 DOI: 10.1177/01461672211034376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory deficits can play a detrimental role in everyday social functioning. Perception of 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid (HMHA)-a body odor component-could also be linked to this research area. However, no study so far has addressed the problem of HMHA perception in the context of the previously reported relationship between olfactory abilities and social difficulties. Here, we tested whether HMHA-specific anosmia predicted loneliness understood both as a cognitive evaluation of social participation and as one's social isolation, and we additionally analyzed the effects and correlates of HMHA perception in relation to sightedness. The study comprised 196 people, of whom 99 were blind. We found that subjects with blindness declared particularly high loneliness, but HMHA anosmia and the interaction of sightedness and HMHA anosmia predicted neither loneliness nor social withdrawal. In addition, HMHA pleasantness was positively associated with social withdrawal of the subjects with blindness and emotional loneliness correlated with HMHA familiarity regardless of sightedness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Janczak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Camille Ferdenzi
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CNRS UMR5292 - Inserm U1028 - Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Bron, France
| | | | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Poland.,Smell and Taste Clinic, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
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6
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Kan-Kilic D, Dogan F, Duarte E. Nonvisual aspects of spatial knowledge: Wayfinding behavior of blind persons in Lisbon. Psych J 2020; 9:769-790. [PMID: 32743984 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Blind individuals' wayfinding performance in complex urban environments is a complex phenomenon. This study investigates the wayfinding strategies of congenitally blind individuals in an urban context. The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which the environmental auditory cues are of primary importance for their wayfinding strategies. The study was conducted in Lisbon, Portugal. Results suggest that auditory information was the most used environmental cue and that a feeling of enclosure is the most important environmental feature during wayfinding. These results corroborate previous findings suggesting that increased familiarity with the environment results in more efficient wayfinding strategies, and that lack of environmental auditory cues could be compensated by a robust cognitive map. The study highlights multidimensional sensory experiences of urban environments and nonvisual aspects of spatial perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem Kan-Kilic
- Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, İzmir University of Economics, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Fehmi Dogan
- Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Emilia Duarte
- Design e Empresa Universitário, IADE-U Instituto de Arte, Lisbon, Portugal
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7
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Sorokowska A, Hummel T, Oleszkiewicz A. No Olfactory Compensation in Food-related Hazard Detection Among Blind and Deaf Adults: A Psychophysical Approach. Neuroscience 2020; 440:56-64. [PMID: 32473274 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The exposure-driven olfactory compensation associated with sensory loss is likely to be observed in assessment of food-related dangers. Therefore, in the current study we tested the hypothesis that olfactory compensation occurs in the case of protection from food-related hazards. We compared thresholds for detection of an unpleasant rotten food odor (fermented fish sauce) in four groups of subjects: blind subjects (n = 100), sighted controls (n = 100), deaf subjects (n = 74) and hearing controls (n = 99). Overall, we observed no significant differences in smell acuity between the blind and deaf groups and their matched control samples. However, the sensory deprived subjects assessed their sensitivity as higher than did control groups. The present study is yet another example of research among large samples of sensory deprived individuals that shows no evidence of olfactory compensation. This result is consistent with a growing number of studies suggesting no sensory compensation in simple, absolute sensitivity tasks.
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8
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Pieniak M, Lachowicz‐Tabaczek K, Masalski M, Hummel T, Oleszkiewicz A. Self‐rated sensory performance in profoundly deaf individuals. Do deaf people share the conviction about sensory compensation? J SENS STUD 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/joss.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pieniak
- Institute of PsychologyUniversity of Wroclaw Wroclaw Poland
| | | | - Marcin Masalski
- Department and Clinic of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryWroclaw Medical University Wroclaw Poland
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringWroclaw University of Science and Technology Wroclaw Poland
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Taste and Smell Clinic, Department of OtorhinolaryngologyTechnische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of PsychologyUniversity of Wroclaw Wroclaw Poland
- Taste and Smell Clinic, Department of OtorhinolaryngologyTechnische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
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9
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Sorokowska A, Oleszkiewicz A. Body-odor based assessments of sex and personality - Non-significant differences between blind and sighted odor raters. Physiol Behav 2019; 210:112573. [PMID: 31248615 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
People exhibit different sensitivity to the signaling properties of body odors in the social context. Here, we aimed to investigate whether visual status modulates sensitivity to socially-relevant cues carried by body odors and whether it affects psychophysical ratings of such smells. We compared abilities of 19 early-blind, 9 late-blind and 13 sighted people to accurately assess sex, neuroticism and dominance of odor donors based on body odor samples. We showed that early blind, late blind and sighted people do not differ in accuracy of sex and personality assessments based on body odor samples. Additionally, the three participating groups perceived the presented body odor samples as similarly intense, pleasant and attractive. We discuss our findings in the context of interpersonal olfactory communication and olfactory compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Smell and Taste Research Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Smell and Taste Research Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland; Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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10
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Melin AD, Nevo O, Shirasu M, Williamson RE, Garrett EC, Endo M, Sakurai K, Matsushita Y, Touhara K, Kawamura S. Fruit scent and observer colour vision shape food-selection strategies in wild capuchin monkeys. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2407. [PMID: 31160592 PMCID: PMC6546703 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10250-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The senses play critical roles in helping animals evaluate foods, including fruits that can change both in colour and scent during ripening to attract frugivores. Although numerous studies have assessed the impact of colour on fruit selection, comparatively little is known about fruit scent and how olfactory and visual data are integrated during foraging. We combine 25 months of behavioural data on 75 wild, white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) with measurements of fruit colours and scents from 18 dietary plant species. We show that frequency of fruit-directed olfactory behaviour is positively correlated with increases in the volume of fruit odours produced during ripening. Monkeys with red-green colour blindness sniffed fruits more often, indicating that increased reliance on olfaction is a behavioural strategy that mitigates decreased capacity to detect red-green colour contrast. These results demonstrate a complex interaction among fruit traits, sensory capacities and foraging strategies, which help explain variation in primate behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Omer Nevo
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mika Shirasu
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Rachel E Williamson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Eva C Garrett
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mizuki Endo
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kodama Sakurai
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Yuka Matsushita
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Shoji Kawamura
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan.
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11
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Martinec Nováková L, Havlíček J. Development of odour awareness in pre-schoolers: A longitudinal study. Physiol Behav 2019; 204:224-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2018] [Revised: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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12
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Koutsoklenis A, Papadopoulos K. Olfactory Cues Used for Wayfinding in Urban Environments by Individuals with Visual Impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/0145482x1110501015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study examined which olfactory cues individuals with visual impairments use most often and determined which of these cues these individuals deemed to be the most important for wayfinding in urban environments. It also investigated the ways in which the individuals use these olfactory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Koutsoklenis
- Department of Educational and Social Policy, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, P.O. Box 1591, 54006, Thessaloniki, Greece
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13
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Sorokowska A, Sorokowski P, Karwowski M, Larsson M, Hummel T. Olfactory perception and blindness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Res 2019; 83:1595-611. [PMID: 29948185 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-018-1035-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Anecdotal reports suggest that blind people might develop supra-normal olfactory abilities. However, scientific evidence shows a mixed pattern of findings. Inconsistent observations are reported for both sensory-driven olfactory tasks (e.g., odor threshold) and higher-order olfactory functions (e.g., odor identification). To quantify the evidence systematically, we conducted a review and meta-analysis. Studies were included if they examined olfactory function (i.e., odor threshold, odor discrimination, free odor identification, or cued odor identification) in blind compared with a sighted control group. Articles were identified through computerized literature search. A total of 18 studies focused on olfactory threshold (n = 1227: 590 blind and 637 sighted individuals), 14 studies targeted discrimination (n = 940: 455 blind and 485 sighted), 14 studies measured cued identification (n = 968: 468 blind and 500 sighted), and 7 studies (n = 443: 224 blind and 219 sighted individuals) assessed free identification. Overall, there were no differences in effect sizes between the blind and sighted individuals after correcting the results for publication bias. We additionally conducted an exploratory analysis targeting the role played by three moderators of interests: participants’ age, the proportion of women versus men in each of the studies included into meta-analysis and onset of blindness (early blind vs. late-blind). However, none of the moderators affected the observed results. To conclude, blindness seems not to affect cued/free odor identification, odor discrimination or odor thresholds.
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14
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Sorokowska A, Oleszkiewicz A, Sorokowski P. A Compensatory Effect on Mate Selection? Importance of Auditory, Olfactory, and Tactile Cues in Partner Choice among Blind and Sighted Individuals. Arch Sex Behav 2018; 47:597-603. [PMID: 29396613 PMCID: PMC5834579 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-018-1156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Human attractiveness is a potent social variable, and people assess their potential partners based on input from a range of sensory modalities. Among all sensory cues, visual signals are typically considered to be the most important and most salient source of information. However, it remains unclear how people without sight assess others. In the current study, we explored the relative importance of sensory modalities other than vision (smell, touch, and audition) in the assessment of same- and opposite-sex strangers. We specifically focused on possible sensory compensation in mate selection, defined as enhanced importance of modalities other than vision among blind individuals in their choice of potential partners. Data were obtained from a total of 119 participants, of whom 78 were blind people aged between 16 and 65 years (M = 42.4, SD = 12.6; 38 females) and a control sample of 41 sighted people aged between 20 and 64. As hypothesized, we observed a compensatory effect of blindness on auditory perception. Our data indicate that visual impairment increases the importance of audition in different types of social assessments for both sexes and in mate choice for blind men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, Haus 5, Keller, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, Haus 5, Keller, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wrocław, Poland
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15
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Sorokowska A, Karwowski M. No Sensory Compensation for Olfactory Memory: Differences between Blind and Sighted People. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2127. [PMID: 29276494 PMCID: PMC5727095 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Blindness can be a driving force behind a variety of changes in sensory systems. When vision is missing, other modalities and higher cognitive functions can become hyper-developed through a mechanism called sensory compensation. Overall, previous studies suggest that olfactory memory in blind people can be better than that of the sighted individuals. Better performance of blind individuals in other-sensory modalities was hypothesized to be a result of, among others, intense perceptual training. At the same time, if the superiority of blind people in olfactory abilities indeed results from training, their scores should not decrease with age to such an extent as among the sighted people. Here, this hypothesis was tested in a large sample of 94 blind individuals. Olfactory memory was assessed using the Test for Olfactory Memory, comprising episodic odor recognition (discriminating previously presented odors from new odors) and two forms of semantic memory (cued and free identification of odors). Regarding episodic olfactory memory, we observed an age-related decline in correct hits in blind participants, but an age-related increase in false alarms in sighted participants. Further, age moderated the between-group differences for correct hits, but the direction of the observed effect was contrary to our expectations. The difference between blind and sighted individuals younger than 40 years old was non-significant, but older sighted individuals outperformed their blind counterparts. In conclusion, we found no positive effect of visual impairment on olfactory memory. We suggest that daily perceptual training is not enough to increase olfactory memory function in blind people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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16
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Kan-Kilic D, Dogan F. Way-finding strategies of blind persons in urban scale. Psych J 2017; 6:303-315. [PMID: 29063704 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether urban environments with different prominent sensory inputs have an impact on the way-finding strategies of blind people and to identify these impacts, where applicable. We specifically investigated how blind people use their senses to compensate for the lack of visual information and how the priority of senses changes according to the urban context. The participants of the study consisted of nine congenitally blind individuals and the study took place in two urban settings: a dense urban district, Kemeralti district in İzmir; and an urban park, the İzmir Fair Park. During the learning phase, a first trial along the selected routes was conducted for each participant individually along with one of the researchers. In the test phase, the participants were requested to re-walk the route and verbally report the environmental cues they attended to. The participants' verbal reports were recorded and transcripts of the recordings were coded according to the environmental sensory inputs. In addition, the short-term memory of each participant was also evaluated. The results show that the characteristics of the urban environment seem to have an impact on way-finding strategies of blind individuals. It was found that the sound of the city and the echo from the environment are the most important factors for blind participants in the dense urban environment. Environmental boundaries provided echoes and gave a sense of enclosure that helped them orient themselves, whereas, in the park environment, the sense of enclosure was not enhanced due to a lack of boundaries in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem Kan-Kilic
- Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, İzmir University of Economics, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Fehmi Dogan
- Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, Turkey
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17
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Abstract
Olfaction is often viewed as difficult, yet the empirical evidence suggests a different picture. A closer look shows people around the world differ in their ability to detect, discriminate, and name odors. This gives rise to the question of what influences our ability to smell. Instead of focusing on olfactory deficiencies, this review presents a positive perspective by focusing on factors that make someone a better smeller. We consider three driving forces in improving olfactory ability: one’s biological makeup, one’s experience, and the environment. For each factor, we consider aspects proposed to improve odor perception and critically examine the evidence; as well as introducing lesser discussed areas. In terms of biology, there are cases of neurodiversity, such as olfactory synesthesia, that serve to enhance olfactory ability. Our lifetime experience, be it typical development or unique training experience, can also modify the trajectory of olfaction. Finally, our odor environment, in terms of ambient odor or culinary traditions, can influence odor perception too. Rather than highlighting the weaknesses of olfaction, we emphasize routes to harnessing our olfactory potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifa Majid
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Speed
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ilja Croijmans
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; International Max Planck Research School for Language Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Artin Arshamian
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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18
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Abstract
Previous examinations of olfactory sensitivity in blind people have produced contradictory findings. Thus, whether visual impairment is associated with increased olfactory abilities is unclear. In the present investigation, I aimed to resolve the existing questions via a relatively large-scale study comprising early-blind (N = 43), and late-blind (N = 41) and sighted (N = 84) individuals matched in terms of gender and age. To compare the results with those of previous studies, I combined data from a free odor identification test, extensive psychophysical testing (Sniffin' Sticks test), and self-assessed olfactory performance. The analyses revealed no significant effects of sight on olfactory threshold, odor discrimination, cued identification, or free identification scores; neither was the performance of the early-blind and late-blind participants significantly different. Additionally, the self-assessed olfactory abilities of the blind people were no different than those of the sighted people. These results suggest that sensory compensation in visually impaired is not pronounced with regards to olfactory abilities as measured by standardized smell tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell & Taste Clinic, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Germany and Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, ul. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland
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