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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 12, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
10:42

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

Published on: August 18, 2014

Detecting olfactory rivalry.

Richard J Stevenson1, Mehmet K Mahmut

  • 1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. dick.stevenson@mq.edu.au

Consciousness and Cognition
|March 27, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Olfactory rivalry occurs when smell perception shifts between components of an odor mixture. While rivalry was demonstrated, participants could not detect these changes in their smell perception.

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
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Published on: August 18, 2014

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Perception
  • Olfaction

Background:

  • Olfactory rivalry is a phenomenon where repeated exposure to a binary odor mixture leads to alternating perceptual dominance of its components.
  • Previous research has established the existence of olfactory rivalry, but its detectability by individuals remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether individuals can consciously detect olfactory rivalry when it occurs.
  • To differentiate between the occurrence of olfactory rivalry and the participants' awareness of it.

Main Methods:

  • Olfactory rivalry was induced using binary odor mixtures and pure odors presented in pairs.
  • Participants performed two tasks: judging stimulus similarity (to detect rivalry) and rating odor quality (to confirm rivalry occurrence).

Main Results:

  • Evidence for olfactory rivalry was confirmed by comparing odor quality reports across successive stimuli.
  • No significant evidence was found indicating that participants could detect the perceptual shifts associated with olfactory rivalry.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides evidence that olfactory illusions, such as rivalry, can occur without conscious awareness.
  • This suggests a dissociation between the experience of olfactory rivalry and the ability to recognize its occurrence.