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Research Interests
My research is primarily in sensory systems, studying chemosensory functions and behaviors. MY LABORATORY'S FOCUS IS SMELL IN HUMANS. This research is designed to increase knowledge and understanding of retronasal smelling (smelling odorants that are located in the oral cavity) in relation to orthonasal smelling (smelling odorants that are located near the anterior nares [nostrils]). The term "smelling" is used rather than "olfaction" because odorants can potentially access both the trigeminally-innervated nasal and oral mucosa and the olfactory mucosa of the nasal cavity during normal retronasal or orthonasal presentation of odorantst. Subjects are asked to describe the odorants, match them for intensity, indicate their intensity, or distinguish between odorants and their solvents. These descriptions, intensity reports and discriminations are be made either once for each odorant presentation or repeatedly during and after an odorant presentation (time-intensity or time-quality measures). Digital computers are used to provide instructions and acquire responses.
I'm also interested in AGING AND CHEMOSENSORY PERCEPTION. Human ability to detect or identify odorants often declines with age, but the rate of decline differs between odorants. These differential declines, coupled with lesser changes in tasting ability, can have profound effects on appreciation of flavor, enjoyment of food, quality of life, and, for odorants per se, responses to warning odorants.
Recent Publications
Halpern, B. P. (2004). When are oral cavity odorants available for retronasal olfaction? In: K. D. Deibler and J. Delwiche, (eds.), Handbook of Flavor Characterization: Sensory, Analysis, Chemistry, and Physiology (pp. 51-63). New York: Marcel Dekker.
Halpern, B.P. (2002) What's in a name? Are MSG and Umami the same? Chemical Senses, 27, 845-846.
Olabi, A. A., Lawless, H. T., Hunter, J. B., Levitsky, D. A., and Halpern, B. P. (2002) The effect of microgravity and space flight on the chemical senses. Journal of Food Science, 67, 468-478.
Halpern, B.P. (2002) Taste. In: H. Pashler (Ser. Ed.) & S. Yantis (Vol. Ed.), Stevens' handbook of experimental psychology: Vol. 1. Sensation and perception (3rd ed., pp. 653-90). Wiley, NY.
Halpern B. P., Puttanniah V. G, Ujihara, M. (2000) Retronasal and orthonasal identifications of vapor-phase food-grade liquid extracts of plant materials. Chemical Senses, 25, 610.
Halpern, B.P. (2000) Sensory coding, decoding, and representations. Unnecessary and troublesome Constructs? Physiology and Behavior, 69 (1), 115-118.
Halpern, B.P. (2000) Glutamate and the Flavor of Foods. J. Nutrition, 130, 910S-914S.
Courses Taught
Effects of Aging on Sensory and Perceptual Systems; Introduction to Sensory Systems; Sensory Function