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Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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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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Olfaction01:25

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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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The nose is composed of an observable exterior segment (external nose) and an internal segment within the skull known as the nasal cavity (internal nose). The external nose, visible on the face, consists of a framework of bone and hyaline cartilage enveloped in skin and muscle and lined with a mucous membrane. This structure is supported by the frontal bone, nasal bones, and maxillary bone and is supplemented by a cartilaginous framework comprising the septal nasal cartilage, lateral nasal...
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Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
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Intranasal odorant concentrations in relation to sniff behavior.

Jonathan Beauchamp1, Mandy Scheibe, Thomas Hummel

  • 1Department of Sensory Analytics, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Giggenhauserstrasse 35, D-85354 Freising, (phone: +49-8161-491214; fax: +49-8161-491242). jonathan.beauchamp@ivv.fraunhofer.de.

Chemistry & Biodiversity
|April 8, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Sniffing behavior significantly impacts odorant concentration in the nose. Normal sniffing delivered the highest concentrations of butanedione (diacetyl) to the olfactory cleft, enhancing odor perception.

Keywords:
Butane-2,3-dioneMass spectrometry (PTR-MS)Nostril, interiorOlfactionSniffing behavior

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Area of Science:

  • Olfactory neuroscience
  • Respiratory physiology
  • Chemical sensing

Background:

  • Understanding odorant transport within the nasal cavity is crucial for olfactory science.
  • The influence of sniffing behavior on odorant delivery to the olfactory epithelium remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how different sniffing modes affect intranasal odorant concentrations.
  • To correlate intranasal odorant levels with perceived odor intensity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a novel system coupling online mass spectrometry with an odorant pulse delivery olfactometer.
  • Measured intranasal concentrations of butanedione (diacetyl) at the interior naris and olfactory cleft.
  • Volunteers (n=12) performed 'normal', 'rapid', and 'forced' sniffing modes.

Main Results:

  • Highest butanedione concentrations were recorded during normal sniffing at both measured nasal locations.
  • Forced sniffing resulted in the lowest intranasal butanedione concentrations.
  • Subjective odor intensity ratings correlated positively with normal sniffing, which yielded the highest concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • Sniffing behavior, specifically its intensity and mode, critically modulates odorant delivery within the nasal cavity.
  • Normal sniffing appears to be the most effective mode for delivering odorants to the olfactory cleft, enhancing odor perception.
  • These findings provide a foundation for future studies on odorant transport and uptake across diverse chemical classes and nasal positions.