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Specific Anosmia: a Clue to the Olfactory Code

Abstract

Are sensations of smell determined by reactions to primary odours analogous to the primary colours in theories of colour vision ? The fact that some people cannot detect the odour of isobutyric acid even though their sense of smell may be otherwise complete suggests that this substance, or a substance with molecules which are similar in size, shape and functional group, may represent a primary odour.

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AMOORE, J. Specific Anosmia: a Clue to the Olfactory Code. Nature 214, 1095–1098 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/2141095a0

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