ODOR MEMORY - REVIEW AND ANALYSIS

We critically review the cognitive Literature on olfactory memory and identify the similarities and differences between odor memory and visu al-verbal memory. We then analyze this literature using criteria from a multiple memory systems approach to determine whether olfactory memo ry can be considered to be a separate memory system. We conclude that olfactory memory has a variety of important distinguishing characteris tics, but that more data are needed to confer this distinction. We sug gest methods for the study of olfactory memory that should make a reso lution on the separate memory system hypothesis possible while simulta neously advancing a synthetic understanding of olfaction and cognition .