A parametric study of the stimulation variables affecting the magnitude of the olfactory nerve response.

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Abstract
The magnitude of olfactory responses can be related to 3 primary variables [number of odorant molecules (N), sniff volume (V), and sniff duration (T)] and 3 derived variables [concentration (C = N/V), flow rate (F = V/T), and delivery rate (D = N/T)]. To evaluate the effects of these interdependent variables upon the olfactory response, the summated multiunit discharges were recorded from the olfactory nerves of 9 frogs in response to octane presented at 2 levels (in 2:1 ratio) of each primary variable. This presentation defined 8 sniff combinations representing 3 levels of each derived variable. In an ANOVA [analysis of variance] of the logs of the responses, the effect of each primary variable was highly significant, with no significant interactions. A multiplicative regression model incorporating the effects of the 3 primary variables represented responses exceedingly well, with positive effects of N and T and a negative effect of V. When, with this model, the effect of each of the derived variables was isolated from the effects of all other variables, the analysis showed a positive effect for C, a near-zero positive effect for D, and a negative effects for F. Placing certain constraints upon the model parameters generates 13 distinct 1- and 2-variable models (e.g., the [C, T] model requires N and V to have equal but opposite effects). In ranking these reduced models in terms of their ability to predict the neural response, the predictive ability of [F, N] and [C, T] was at negative effect for F. Placing certain constraints upon the model parameters generates 13 distinct 1- and 2-variable models (e.g., the [C, T] model requires N and V to have equal but opposite effects]. In ranking these reduced models in terms of their ability to predict the neural response, the predictive ability of [F, N] and [C, T] was at least as good as that of the 3-variable model.

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