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Olfaction

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 Pathway

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 Structure

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...

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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.

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...

Association Areas of the Cortex

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Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Neural circuit mechanisms for pattern detection and feature combination in olfactory cortex.

Ian G Davison¹, Michael D Ehlers

¹Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

|April 13, 2011

Summary

The brain integrates smell components by detecting specific combinations of olfactory bulb signals in the piriform cortex. This reveals how neural circuits form unified odor perceptions from distinct chemical features.

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Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust (Schistocerca Americana) Olfactory Circuits

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Published on: January 25, 2013

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

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Published on: April 11, 2025

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust (Schistocerca Americana) Olfactory Circuits

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust (Schistocerca Americana) Olfactory Circuits

Published on: January 25, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Olfactory system research
Sensory processing

Background:

Odors are encoded by physicochemical characteristics but perceived as unified smells.
The mechanism for assembling olfactory bulb (MOB) signals into cortical representations is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how anterior piriform cortex (PCx) neurons decode complex activity patterns from the MOB.
To understand the neural basis of integrating chemical features into unified odor perception.

Main Methods:

Patterned optical microstimulation of the MOB.
In vivo electrophysiological recordings in the PCx.
Intracellular recordings to analyze circuit architecture.

Main Results:

PCx neurons did not respond to single glomeruli stimulation.
Individual PCx neurons reported higher-order combinations of coactive glomeruli.
Cortical neurons receive weak synaptic input from distinct MOB glomeruli subpopulations.

Conclusions:

PCx neurons detect specific glomerular ensembles, representing combinations of chemical features.
This ensemble coding explains how the brain forms unified odor percepts from distributed sensory maps.