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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 17, 2026

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees
13:55

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

Brain composition and olfactory learning in honey bees.

Wulfila Gronenberg1, Margaret J Couvillon

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210077, Tucson, AZ 85721-0077, USA. wulfi@neurobio.arizona.edu

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
|January 12, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Honey bee brain size, particularly the mushroom body, correlates with olfactory learning ability. Smaller visual neuropils in high-performing bees suggest specialized brain structures enhance learning.

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Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

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Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)
10:14

Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Published on: December 12, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Behavior
  • Comparative Biology

Background:

  • Studying brain-behavior correlations across species can be complex.
  • Honey bees (Apis mellifera) offer a model for investigating brain function and learning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze honey bee brain composition in relation to olfactory learning performance.
  • To identify specific brain structures associated with learning and memory in bees.

Main Methods:

  • Individual testing of honey bees in an olfactory learning paradigm.
  • Analysis of total brain size and specific brain component volumes.
  • Comparison of brain composition between European and Africanized honey bees.

Main Results:

  • Total brain size positively correlated with olfactory learning performance.
  • The mushroom body showed a positive correlation with learning ability.
  • Bees with better learning performance had smaller visual neuropils.
  • Isometric correlations were found for most brain components relative to total brain size.

Conclusions:

  • Honey bee brain size and specific structures like the mushroom body are linked to olfactory learning.
  • Individual differences in brain composition may reflect modality-specific behavioral specialization.
  • Minor brain composition differences exist between European and Africanized honey bees.