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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...

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...

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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

Functional neuro-imaging and post-traumatic olfactory impairment.

Richard J Roberts¹, William Sheehan, Steven Thurber

¹Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine

|July 1, 2011

Summary

Traumatic brain injuries can cause decreased olfactory functioning, suggesting frontal lobe involvement. This research highlights the neurological significance of smell loss after head trauma.

Keywords:

Anosmia functional neuro-imaging olfaction traumatic brain injury

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Neurology

Background:

Olfactory dysfunction is a common sequela of traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The neurological underpinnings of post-traumatic olfactory deficits require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct a literature survey evaluating the anterior neurological significance of decreased olfactory functioning after TBI.
To synthesize findings from functional neuroimaging studies on patients with post-traumatic olfactory impairments.

Main Methods:

A comprehensive computer literature review was performed.
Functional neuroimaging studies focusing on patients with post-traumatic anosmia and other olfactory deficits were identified.

Main Results:

Nine functional neuroimaging studies showed evidence of reduced metabolic activity or hypoperfusion during olfactory tasks in TBI patients.
Hypoactivation in prefrontal regions was consistently observed across all nine studies.
Three studies also indicated reduced activity in temporal regions.

Conclusions:

Decreased olfactory functioning following TBI is associated with neurological changes, particularly in the prefrontal cortex.
The findings support the hypothesis that patients with anosmia post-head trauma likely have frontal lobe involvement.