Newborns suspected to identify the mother through the mother's scent. However, researchers do not understand how this odor identification could be developed.

Kevin Franks and Jeffry Isaacson of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say that this development process essentially the same as how babies develop a vision system to recognize this world. Thus, during this critical early period, the sense of smell baby will work and start looking for the mother's scent.

Initial research began by using the brain of mice, researchers found two receptors called AMPA receptors and NMDA receptors, as a key component in the cycle of sense of smell that would have olfactory adaptation, such as Medicalnewstoday debut.

Receptors are proteins found on the 'receiving stations' activated by neural and chemical signals known as neurotransmitters that sense of smell in this case using the neurotransmitter glutamate.

Researchers found in the brain tissue of newborn mice, the fraction of NMDA receptors tended to fall in parts of the brain associated with olfactory process known as lateral olfactory tract. This reduction is likely to activate a neural connections in the region.

Researchers found that over a period of several weeks after birth, the sense of smell in mice brains showed a reduced NMDA receptor activity compared with the survivors. The reduction in NMDA receptor activity caused by the neurons become more active since the AMPA receptor neurons change to become more functional.

Other evidence found in the olfactory neurons changes during this period tends to cause more pronounced sense of smell.