Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
Published on: July 30, 2017
The role of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus in human olfaction
Wendy W P Tham1, Richard J Stevenson, Laurie A Miller
1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.
Abstract:
Olfaction has a unique dual-route pathway to the neocortex - one being via the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MDNT). In this study we explored the role of the MDNT pathway, by comparing six patients with MDNT lesions, with 14 controls, on tests of general olfactory ability (i.e., odor acuity, discrimination, naming, recognition memory and hedonic judgement), visual control and neuropsychological tests, and tests of olfactory attention. The MDNT patients performed normally on most general olfactory tests but showed varying impairments on tests of olfactory attention. These findings suggest that the MDNT pathway is involved, either specifically or generically, in mediating human olfactory attention.
Related Concept Videos
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
The olfactory...
Olfaction
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions
