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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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

An Objective and Reproducible Test of Olfactory Learning and Discrimination in Mice
09:33

An Objective and Reproducible Test of Olfactory Learning and Discrimination in Mice

Published on: March 22, 2018

Lateralisation in wine olfactory threshold detection: comparison between experts and novices.

G Brand1, R Brisson

  • 1Department of Neurosciences, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. gerard.brand@univ-fcomte.fr

Laterality
|September 15, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Wine experts and novices show different olfactory lateralisation. Novices exhibit left nostril advantage for detection and pleasantness, while experts do not, suggesting experience shapes sensory perception.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Science
  • Oenology

Background:

  • Olfactory lateralisation, the brain's differing processing of smells by nostril, is well-documented in humans.
  • However, limited research explores how odorant-specific experience influences this lateralisation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in unilateral olfactory detection thresholds for wine between expert and novice judges.
  • To compare irritation and hedonic valence ratings between nostrils and experience groups.

Main Methods:

  • Unilateral olfactory stimulation was used to assess detection thresholds, irritation, and hedonic valence for three distinct wines.
  • Participants were categorized as either wine experts or novices.

Main Results:

  • Novices demonstrated lower detection thresholds in the left nostril compared to experts, irrespective of the wine.
  • Novices rated wines as more pleasant and more irritant via the left nostril than the right, unlike experts.
  • Irritation ratings were not lateralised in either group, but novices perceived wines as more irritant overall.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory experience, specifically expertise in wine tasting, significantly influences olfactory lateralisation.
  • Differences in detection, pleasantness, and perceived irritation suggest that experience modulates hemispheric processing of olfactory information.