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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...
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...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
10:42

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Odor representations in mammalian cortical circuits.

Jeffry S Isaacson1

  • 1Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, Dept. of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093, USA. jisaacson@ucsd.edu

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|March 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Olfactory bulb output is integrated in the piriform cortex, where odor representations are sparse and distributed. Odor-evoked inhibition is widespread, influencing olfactory perception and synaptic plasticity.

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A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory System Research
  • Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Olfactory bulb projection neurons initiate odor representations.
  • Olfactory perception relies on higher cortical integration of olfactory bulb output.
  • Odor representations in the rodent piriform cortex are known to be sparse and distributed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the characteristics of odor representations in the primary olfactory cortex.
  • To understand the role of inhibition and excitation in piriform cortex pyramidal cells.
  • To explore the integration of olfactory sensory inputs and the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of spatial and temporal activity patterns in olfactory bulb projection neurons.
  • Examination of odor-evoked inhibition and excitation in piriform cortex pyramidal cells.
  • Investigation of synaptic plasticity through feedback projections.

Main Results:

  • Odor representations in the piriform cortex are sparse and highly distributed.
  • Odor-evoked inhibition is more widespread and broadly tuned than excitation in piriform cortex pyramidal cells.
  • Olfactory sensory inputs are integrated within pyramidal cell dendrites.
  • Feedback projections from piriform cortex to olfactory bulb interneurons contribute to synaptic plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • The piriform cortex plays a crucial role in integrating olfactory information.
  • Widespread inhibition in the piriform cortex significantly shapes olfactory perception.
  • Synaptic plasticity in the olfactory system is influenced by feedback mechanisms.