Preliminary evidence of a sensitive period for olfactory learning by human newborns
(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
- Romantsik, O. LU ; Porter, R. H. ; Tillmann, V. and Varendi, H.
- publishing date
- 2007-03-01
- 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 < 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.</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}}, }