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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...
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.
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...
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

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:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Complementary sensory and associative microcircuitry in primary olfactory cortex.

Hauke F Wiegand1, Prateep Beed, Michael H K Bendels

  • 1Neuroscience Research Center, and Department of Psychiatry, Charité-Universtiätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|August 26, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The anterior piriform cortex (aPC) organizes neurons vertically, with cell position dictating sensory versus associative processing integration. This microcircuit structure influences neuronal output modes for olfactory information processing.

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Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Published on: October 31, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory System Research
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • The primary olfactory cortex, specifically the piriform cortex, is crucial for processing smell.
  • Principal cells in the anterior piriform cortex (aPC) receive both sensory and intracortical inputs.
  • Understanding the microcircuit organization is key to deciphering olfactory processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the organizational principles of sensory and intracortical microcircuits in rat aPC.
  • To investigate the functional roles of layer II and III principal cells based on their position.
  • To determine how neuronal properties correlate with input integration patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Acute slice electrophysiology in rat aPC.
  • Laser-scanning photostimulation to map synaptic inputs.
  • Fast two-photon population Ca(2+) imaging to monitor neuronal activity.
  • Analysis of input resistance and bursting behavior.

Main Results:

  • A superficial-to-deep vertical axis organization was identified for layer II and III principal cells.
  • Cell position correlated with input resistance and bursting activity.
  • Sensory inputs dominated superficial cells in layer II, while deeper cells received more intracortical inputs.
  • Layer III pyramidal cells showed an asymmetric dorsal offset in intracortical input.
  • A hybrid feedforward/recurrent network integrates varying sensory and intracortical inputs.

Conclusions:

  • Neuronal position along the superficial-to-deep axis dictates the balance of sensory and intracortical input integration.
  • Neuronal output mode, influenced by burstiness, may encode the cell's role in sensory versus associative processing.
  • This microcircuit organization provides a framework for understanding olfactory information processing in the aPC.