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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

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

A portable experimental apparatus for human olfactory fMRI experiments.

C Sezille¹, B Messaoudi, A Bertrand

¹CNRS, UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, University Lyon, F-69000, France.

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

|May 11, 2013

Summary

Researchers developed a new portable olfactometer for brain imaging studies. This inexpensive device precisely presents odors and records responses, enabling new investigations into olfactory perception using fMRI.

Keywords:

Human olfaction Mobile olfactometer Psychophysics Sniffing fMRI

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sensory Science
Biomedical Engineering

Background:

Human olfactory perception is typically measured using psychophysical methods or complex olfactometers.
Existing olfactometry systems can be expensive, bulky, and not easily integrated with neuroimaging techniques like fMRI.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a novel, inexpensive, and portable olfactometer designed for human functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experiments.
To develop a system that synchronizes odorant stimulus delivery with human nasal respiration and records behavioral responses concurrently.

Main Methods:

The developed portable olfactometer was validated using psychophysical measures and photo-ionization detection.
The system's ability to elicit neural activation was confirmed through brain imaging (fMRI).
Odorant stimulus presentation was adjusted to match individual nasal respiration patterns.

Main Results:

Psychophysical and photo-ionization detection validated a linear relationship between odorant concentration, perceived intensity, and vapor concentration.
Brain imaging confirmed neural activation in established olfactory processing areas.
The system demonstrated effective synchronization of odor delivery with respiration and behavioral response recording.

Conclusions:

The new portable olfactometer is a low-cost, user-friendly, and low-maintenance tool for brain imaging research.
This system facilitates novel investigations into the neural basis of odor perception, particularly using event-related fMRI designs.
It expands possibilities for studying olfactory responses in various experimental contexts.