Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

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...

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

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...

Prosopagnosia

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Empathy motivation is preserved following amygdala damage.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2026

Same author

Lesions involving the insula are associated with reduced appetite and weight loss.

Brain communications·2026

Same author

A path to preventing cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: initiatives beginning in the USA.

The Lancet. Neurology·2026

Same author

A corpus callosum visual ratings system is associated with cognition and visual ratings of white matter and medial temporal atrophy in dementia.

Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2026

Same author

Facets of Religion/Spirituality and Cognitive Health: Association Variations Across Gender and Race Among Older Adults.

Religions·2026

Same author

Acute post-stroke cognitive test performance predicts one-year functional independence.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Pervasive olfactory impairment after bilateral limbic system destruction.

Daniel Tranel¹, Kathleen A Welsh-Bohmer

¹Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. daniel-tranel@uiowa.edu

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology

|January 7, 2012

Summary

Extensive limbic system damage, including the temporal lobes and orbital frontal cortex, caused profound anosmia (loss of smell) in Patient B. This case highlights the neural substrates crucial for human olfactory processing.

More Related Videos

The Dig Task: A Simple Scent Discrimination Reveals Deficits Following Frontal Brain Damage

The Dig Task: A Simple Scent Discrimination Reveals Deficits Following Frontal Brain Damage

Published on: January 4, 2013

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders

Published on: December 4, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

The Dig Task: A Simple Scent Discrimination Reveals Deficits Following Frontal Brain Damage

The Dig Task: A Simple Scent Discrimination Reveals Deficits Following Frontal Brain Damage

Published on: January 4, 2013

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders

Published on: December 4, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Olfactory processing
Human brain anatomy

Background:

Olfaction is a complex sensory process involving multiple brain regions.
Previous studies linked specific brain areas like the temporal lobes or orbitofrontal cortex to olfactory deficits.
The precise neural architecture for complete smell loss remained unclear.

Observation:

A patient with herpes simplex encephalitis experienced extensive bilateral damage to the limbic system.
This included damage to medial/lateral temporal lobes, orbital frontal cortex, insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and basal forebrain.

Findings:

The patient exhibited profound impairments in odor identification, recognition, discrimination, and detection.
Only highly concentrated ethanol and acetone solutions were detectable, indicating severe olfactory dysfunction.
This case presented a complete loss of smell (anosmia), unlike deficits seen with more localized brain damage.

Implications:

This case provides critical insights into the neural substrates of human olfactory processing.
It underscores the extensive involvement of the limbic system in maintaining a complete sense of smell.
The findings differentiate the effects of widespread limbic damage from localized cortical lesions on olfaction.