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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...
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder01:28

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...
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...
Personality Disorders: Dependent and Obsessive-Compulsive01:24

Personality Disorders: Dependent and Obsessive-Compulsive

Dependent personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder are two separate psychological conditions that influence behavior, relationships, and overall life functioning. Though both involve maladaptive behaviors, their core characteristics and motivations differ significantly.
 Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by an excessive reliance on others to manage various aspects of life. Individuals with this disorder often struggle with...
Prosopagnosia01:24

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants
04:47

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants

Published on: September 18, 2018

Olfactory identification and discrimination in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Cinto Segalàs1, Javier Labad, Pino Alonso

  • 1OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. csegalas@bellvitgehospital.cat

Depression and Anxiety
|May 28, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients exhibit impaired olfactory function and nonverbal memory, suggesting distinct neurobiological underpinnings. Symptom severity, particularly depression and OCD, correlates with olfactory deficits.

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Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants
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Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is linked to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction.
  • Olfactory processing is associated with OFC function, but OCD-related olfactory studies yield mixed results.
  • Previous research has not comprehensively evaluated odor discrimination and identification in OCD patients using standardized tests.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess olfactory threshold, identification, and discrimination in OCD patients.
  • To evaluate nonverbal memory capacity in individuals with OCD.
  • To investigate potential links between olfactory function, nonverbal memory, and symptom severity in OCD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the "Sniffin' Sticks" test to measure olfactory function in 29 OCD patients and 29 healthy volunteers (HV).
  • Assessed nonverbal memory using the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test.
  • Compared olfactory and memory performance between OCD patients and HV.

Main Results:

  • OCD patients demonstrated significant deficits in olfactory performance compared to HV.
  • Individuals with OCD also showed impaired performance on the nonverbal memory task.
  • No significant statistical association was found between olfactory and memory deficits.
  • A correlation was observed between the severity of depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and olfactory identification performance.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory and memory dysfunctions in OCD likely stem from separate neurobiological alterations.
  • Depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms may modulate olfactory performance in individuals with OCD.
  • Findings highlight the complex interplay between sensory processing, cognitive function, and symptomology in OCD.