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Preliminary evidence of a sensitive period for olfactory learning by human newborns

Romantsik, O. LU ; Porter, R. H. ; Tillmann, V. and Varendi, H. (2007) In Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics 96(3). p.372-376
Abstract

Aim: To test the hypothesis that a brief window of time immediately after delivery may be a particularly sensitive period for olfactory learning by human neonates. Methods: Fifty-five vaginally delivered newborns were exposed to an odorant for 30 min beginning 4-37 min after birth (Early exposure) or 12-h post-partum (Late exposure). Several days later, newborns' head orientation responses to the exposure odour versus an unfamiliar odour or an odourless control stimulus were tested. Results: Infants in the Early exposure group spent significantly more time oriented towards the familiar scent rather than a novel odour (Z = 2.869; n = 28; p < 0.01), or an odourless stimulus (Z = 2.550; n = 28; p < 0.01). Infants in the Late exposure... (More)

Aim: To test the hypothesis that a brief window of time immediately after delivery may be a particularly sensitive period for olfactory learning by human neonates. Methods: Fifty-five vaginally delivered newborns were exposed to an odorant for 30 min beginning 4-37 min after birth (Early exposure) or 12-h post-partum (Late exposure). Several days later, newborns' head orientation responses to the exposure odour versus an unfamiliar odour or an odourless control stimulus were tested. Results: Infants in the Early exposure group spent significantly more time oriented towards the familiar scent rather than a novel odour (Z = 2.869; n = 28; p < 0.01), or an odourless stimulus (Z = 2.550; n = 28; p < 0.01). Infants in the Late exposure condition did not respond differentially to the exposure odour versus a novel odour (Z = 1.105; n = 27, p = 0.27), and spent more time oriented towards an odourless stimulus than to the exposure odour (Z = 2.042; n = 27, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Infants in the Early exposure group, but not in the Late exposure group, became familiar with the exposure odour and retained a memory trace of it during the test trials.

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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Newborn, Olfaction, Sensitive period
in
Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
volume
96
issue
3
pages
372 - 376
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:33947321309
  • pmid:17407459
ISSN
0803-5253
DOI
10.1111/j.1651-2227.2006.00106.x
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
8f38bd4e-1ca0-42ff-bbc7-120bde8c4a33
date added to LUP
2018-11-15 14:00:42
date last changed
2024-01-15 06:55:26
@article{8f38bd4e-1ca0-42ff-bbc7-120bde8c4a33,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: To test the hypothesis that a brief window of time immediately after delivery may be a particularly sensitive period for olfactory learning by human neonates. Methods: Fifty-five vaginally delivered newborns were exposed to an odorant for 30 min beginning 4-37 min after birth (Early exposure) or 12-h post-partum (Late exposure). Several days later, newborns' head orientation responses to the exposure odour versus an unfamiliar odour or an odourless control stimulus were tested. Results: Infants in the Early exposure group spent significantly more time oriented towards the familiar scent rather than a novel odour (Z = 2.869; n = 28; p &lt; 0.01), or an odourless stimulus (Z = 2.550; n = 28; p &lt; 0.01). Infants in the Late exposure condition did not respond differentially to the exposure odour versus a novel odour (Z = 1.105; n = 27, p = 0.27), and spent more time oriented towards an odourless stimulus than to the exposure odour (Z = 2.042; n = 27, p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Infants in the Early exposure group, but not in the Late exposure group, became familiar with the exposure odour and retained a memory trace of it during the test trials.</p>}},
  author       = {{Romantsik, O. and Porter, R. H. and Tillmann, V. and Varendi, H.}},
  issn         = {{0803-5253}},
  keywords     = {{Newborn; Olfaction; Sensitive period}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{372--376}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics}},
  title        = {{Preliminary evidence of a sensitive period for olfactory learning by human newborns}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2006.00106.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1651-2227.2006.00106.x}},
  volume       = {{96}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}