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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...
Sensation01:21

Sensation

Sensory receptors are specialized neurons that respond to specific types of external stimuli, initiating the process known as sensation. This occurs when sensory input, such as light entering the eye, is detected by these receptors, causing chemical changes in the cells of the retina. These cells then convert the sensory stimulus into action potentials that are transmitted to the central nervous system, a process termed transduction.
Absolute thresholds can quantify the sensitivity of sensory...
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...
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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Phenomenal and access consciousness in olfaction.

Richard J Stevenson1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. richard.stevenson@psy.mq.edu.au

Consciousness and Cognition
|October 10, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Olfactory consciousness exhibits unique features compared to other senses. Phenomenal (P) and access (A) consciousness appear distinct in olfaction, potentially challenging the standard P/A distinction.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Sensory Perception

Background:

  • The study of consciousness often overlooks the olfactory system.
  • Existing research primarily focuses on major senses like vision and audition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the characteristics of olfactory consciousness.
  • To compare olfactory consciousness with other senses using the phenomenal (P)/access (A) distinction.
  • To explore the unique neural architecture and functions underlying olfactory processing.

Main Methods:

  • Review of contemporary literature on consciousness and olfaction.
  • Analysis of qualitative differences in olfactory phenomenal (P) and access (A) consciousness.
  • Comparison of olfactory consciousness characteristics with those of major sensory systems.

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Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
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Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
09:11

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay

Published on: October 2, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
09:11

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay

Published on: October 2, 2017

Main Results:

  • Olfactory phenomenal consciousness shows unique traits: location shifts, synesthesia-like experiences, affect-rich perceptions, and misperceptions.
  • Olfactory access consciousness demonstrates distinct features: habituation recovery, conscious processing capacity, memory access, learning, attention, and serial-unitary perception.
  • Qualitative differences in both P and A consciousness suggest unique configurations in olfaction.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory consciousness possesses unique characteristics in both phenomenal (P) and access (A) domains.
  • The standard P/A distinction may not fully apply to the olfactory system.
  • Unique neural architecture and functions likely underpin these olfactory consciousness differences.