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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.
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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.
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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 1, 2026

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust Schistocerca Americana Olfactory Circuits

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust Schistocerca Americana Olfactory Circuits

Published on: January 25, 2013

Olfactory coding in the insect brain: data and conjectures.

C Giovanni Galizia¹

¹University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.

The European Journal of Neuroscience

|April 5, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study proposes a wiring diagram for insect olfactory coding, detailing how the antennal lobe processes scents for behavioral responses. It differentiates odor identification in mushroom bodies from odor evaluation in the lateral protocerebrum.

Keywords:

antennal lobe mushroom bodies neural networks sensory coding

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Published on: July 21, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Insect Olfaction
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

Recent advancements in understanding insect olfactory coding.
The need for a comprehensive model linking sensory input to behavioral output.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a detailed wiring diagram for insect olfactory processing.
To integrate diverse experimental findings into a cohesive theoretical framework.
To differentiate the functional roles of mushroom bodies and the lateral protocerebrum.

Main Methods:

Review of existing experimental data from multiple research groups and model species.
Theoretical synthesis of neural network mechanisms.
Analysis of olfactory coding concepts (labeled line vs. combinatorial).

Main Results:

A proposed sequence of neural processing steps from the antennal lobe to behavioral readout.
Distinction between mushroom bodies (odor identification) and lateral protocerebrum (odor evaluation).
Explanation for apparent 'labeled line' coding under specific conditions.
Postulation of modulatory networks as evaluative system switches.

Conclusions:

The proposed model accounts for a wide range of experimental observations in insect olfaction.
Functional specialization exists between mushroom bodies and the lateral protocerebrum.
New hypotheses are generated for future experimental validation.