The role of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus in human olfaction

Olfaction has a unique dual-route pathway to the neocortex - one being via the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MDNT). In this study we explored the role of the MDNT pathway, by comparing six patients with MDNT lesions, with 14 controls, on tests of general olfactory ability (i.e., odor acuity,...

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Published inNeurocase Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 148 - 159
Main Authors Tham, Wendy W. P., Stevenson, Richard J., Miller, Laurie A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2011
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Attention - physiology
Chemical senses
Female
Habituation, Psychophysiologic
Human
Humans
Male
Mediodorsal nucleus
Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus - pathology
Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus - physiology
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Odorants
Olfaction
Olfactory Perception - physiology
Smell - physiology
Thalamus
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Summary:Olfaction has a unique dual-route pathway to the neocortex - one being via the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MDNT). In this study we explored the role of the MDNT pathway, by comparing six patients with MDNT lesions, with 14 controls, on tests of general olfactory ability (i.e., odor acuity, discrimination, naming, recognition memory and hedonic judgement), visual control and neuropsychological tests, and tests of olfactory attention. The MDNT patients performed normally on most general olfactory tests but showed varying impairments on tests of olfactory attention. These findings suggest that the MDNT pathway is involved, either specifically or generically, in mediating human olfactory attention.
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ISSN:1355-4794
1465-3656
DOI:10.1080/13554794.2010.504728