Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Only little more than dozen substances have been tested with regard to the olfactory sensitivity of mouse (Mus musculus) . To the best of my knowledge, no study with regard to the olfactory sensitivity on “green” odors has been performed previously. So in my present study, i determined the detection threshold values of "green" odors. “Green” odors comprise a group of eight structurally related aliphatic alkenals and alkenols which are characteristic for the odor of a wide variety of plant materials. Thus, they should be of high behavioral relevance for herbivorous species, but not necessarily for a granivorous species such as the mouse. 

Olfacatory detection thresholds of eight "green" odors (1-hexanol, n-hexanal, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, cis-3-hexenal, trans-3-hexen-1-ol, trans-3-hexenal, trans-2-hexen-1-ol and trans-2-hexenal) were determined previously in human subjects and spider monkeys which allowed me to compare the olfactory sensitivty over species.

Recent genetic studies determined the number of olfactory recpetors in mice, humans and spider monkeys which allowed me to study the impact of olfactory receptors over the olfactory sensitivity.