UC San Diego

In order to measure "odor unbiased" nasal pungency (e.g., sensory irritation) thresholds, we have resorted in the past to testing subjects with no olfaction (i.e., anosmics). The present study illustrates another way to gain insight into the separate response of the nasal trigeminal and olfactory nerves without resorting to anosmics. Thresholds for nasal localization of airborne n-alcohols to the right or left nostril, measured in normosmics, fell into register with nasal pungency thresholds measured in an anosmic, and with eye irritation thresholds measured in normosmics and the anosmic. As expected, odor thresholds fell well below the other three sensory thresholds.