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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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.

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Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

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Published on: April 11, 2025

Function follows form: ecological constraints on odor codes and olfactory percepts.

Jay A Gottfried1

  • 1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, 320 E. Superior St., Searle 11-453, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. j-gottfried@northwestern.edu

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|August 13, 2009
PubMed
Summary

The olfactory system

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory system research
  • Sensory perception

Background:

  • Sensory system form evolves to interact with environmental stimuli.
  • The olfactory system faces unique challenges in processing natural scents.
  • Understanding olfactory perception involves studying how odor elements form percepts and how the brain reconstructs degraded sensory input.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the perceptual and neural mechanisms of olfactory processing.
  • To explore how odor elements are integrated into coherent odor percepts.
  • To understand the role of learning and experience in shaping olfactory perception.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of recent studies on olfactory perception.
  • Examination of neural mechanisms in the piriform cortex.
  • Correlation of spatial ensemble activity patterns with odor perception.

Main Results:

  • Odorant elements are assembled into odor wholes, enabling perception.
  • Odor percepts can be reconstructed from degraded sensory inputs.
  • Spatial ensemble activity patterns in the piriform cortex are linked to odor identity and meaning.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory system form is shaped by the need to process complex stimuli.
  • Distributed templates in the piriform cortex are crucial for olfactory perception, discrimination, and recall.
  • Neural activity patterns underlie the subjective experience of smell.