Scientists study olfaction in mice

U.S. scientists say olfaction in mice is affected by a biological clock that makes their sense of smell stronger at night.

Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis -- led by Associate Professor Erik Herzog -- discovered the "clock" in the olfactory bulb, the brain center that aids mice in detecting odors becomes most strong during evening hours.

The olfaction biological clock in mice is hundreds of times larger than the known biological clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus located at the base of the brain, researchers said. Cells in both the SCN and the olfactory bulb keep 24-hour time and are normally highly synchronized to each other and environmental cycles of day-night.

•	Scientists study olfaction in mice NewsTrack - Science United Press International, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006 Byline: UPI

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