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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals
08:30

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Published on: October 31, 2011

Which format for odor images?

Fanny Rinck1, Catherine Rouby, Moustafa Bensafi

  • 1Laboratoire Neurosciences Sensorielles, Comportement, Cognition, CNRS UMR5020, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon cedex 07, France.

Chemical Senses
|October 16, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Olfactory mental images, or smelling with the mind's nose, retain aspects of real smells. Olfactomotor mechanisms may play a role in recalling these mental images.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals
08:30

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Published on: October 31, 2011

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

Olfactory Behaviors Assayed by Computer Tracking Of Drosophila in a Four-quadrant Olfactometer
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Olfactory Behaviors Assayed by Computer Tracking Of Drosophila in a Four-quadrant Olfactometer

Published on: August 20, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Sensory Perception
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Olfactory mental images are representations of smells in short-term memory.
  • These mental images allow for
  • smelling with the mind's nose.
  • Evidence suggests they share properties with visual mental images.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence supporting the preservation of olfactory percepts in mental images.
  • To discuss the role of olfactomotor mechanisms in olfactory memory recall.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of converging evidence.
  • Analysis of studies on olfactory mental imagery and memory.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory mental images preserve certain aspects of actual olfactory percepts.
  • Olfactomotor feedback mechanisms are implicated in recalling olfactory mental images.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory mental imagery shares functional similarities with visual mental imagery.
  • Olfactomotor activity is crucial for accessing olfactory information stored in long-term memory.