Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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...
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex. This...
Auditory Perception01:17

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Defining interstitial lung disease related to idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a systematic review protocol of the Myositis Clinical Trial Consortium (MCTC).

Systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Risk of chronic kidney disease in newly diagnosed SLE with preserved renal function: a national study.

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)·2026
Same author

Damage Accrual in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Predicts Mortality and Is Associated Primarily with Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Hypertension.

Journal of clinical medicine·2026
Same author

Reply to "Correspondence on: EULAR/PRES endorsed recommendations for the management of FMF: 2024 update".

Annals of the rheumatic diseases·2026
Same author

The Natural History of Deficiency of Adenosine Deaminase 2 Vasculitis in a Large Cohort and Factors Associated With Disease-Related Damage.

The Journal of rheumatology·2026
Same author

Clinical experience with sodium-glucose transport 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

International urology and nephrology·2025
Same journal

Sleep Restriction and Heat Stress as Compounded Risks to Military Cognitive Readiness.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

Intraoperative Metal Detection vs. Preoperative computed tomography for Combat-related Shrapnel Localization: A Cadaveric Comparison.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

Military Service Outcomes among Volunteers with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Israel Defense Forces: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

The Impact of Age on Military Trauma Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

Knowledge Gaps in Our Understanding of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Current Evidence, Proposed Solutions, and Preliminary Results.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Acute Acoustic Trauma: Blast versus Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Olfaction--a window to the mind.

Shaye Kivity1, Oscar D Ortega-Hernandez, Yehuda Shoenfeld

  • 1Department of Medicine A, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

The Israel Medical Association Journal : IMAJ
|July 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Screening for olfactory impairments can aid in the early diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) diseases like Parkinson

More Related Videos

Combining a Breath-Synchronized Olfactometer with Brain Simulation to Study the Impact of Odors on Corticospinal Excitability and Effective Connectivity
06:13

Combining a Breath-Synchronized Olfactometer with Brain Simulation to Study the Impact of Odors on Corticospinal Excitability and Effective Connectivity

Published on: January 19, 2024

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
10:42

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Combining a Breath-Synchronized Olfactometer with Brain Simulation to Study the Impact of Odors on Corticospinal Excitability and Effective Connectivity
06:13

Combining a Breath-Synchronized Olfactometer with Brain Simulation to Study the Impact of Odors on Corticospinal Excitability and Effective Connectivity

Published on: January 19, 2024

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
10:42

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Olfactory function assessment is not routinely used in clinical practice.
  • Olfactory impairments are often overlooked by patients and clinicians.
  • Evolving knowledge of the brain, olfaction, and autoimmunity highlights potential diagnostic links.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To emphasize the clinical value of assessing olfactory function.
  • To advocate for the routine screening of olfactory impairments.
  • To highlight the role of olfaction in early disease detection.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical data linking olfactory function to neurological and autoimmune diseases.
  • Analysis of current diagnostic and treatment protocols.
  • Evaluation of overlooked diagnostic markers.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory impairments are associated with central nervous system (CNS) diseases.
  • Early detection of CNS conditions like Parkinson's, dementia, and schizophrenia is possible through smell tests.
  • Olfactory screening can identify CNS-autoimmune diseases, including neuropsychiatric lupus.

Conclusions:

  • Clinicians should incorporate olfactory impairment screening into routine practice.
  • Assessing the sense of smell can lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention for various CNS disorders.
  • Olfactory testing offers a valuable, yet underutilized, diagnostic tool for neurological and autoimmune conditions.