Spatial Distribution of the EOG in the Rat; a Variation with Odour Quality

Abstract

The spatial distribution of olfactory receptors in the rat was studied by simultaneous recordings of the electroolfactograms (EOG) from areas of the olfactory mucosa. The potentials were recorded from the dorsal surface of the cribriform plate, leaving the mucosa and the nasal cavities intact. The ratio between the peak amplitude of the EOG potentials served as a measure of the relative sensitivity of 1 area against the other. The results obtained by stimulating with 31 substances at 38 positions demonstrated a non-homogeneous distribution of different receptors. Each substance gave a spatial pattern of response efficiency. The response distributions were mapped on the cribiform plate for the different odors.