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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

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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.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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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.
The olfactory...
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Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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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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Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
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Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology

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Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and...
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Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
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Cortical odor processing in health and disease.

Donald A Wilson1, Wenjin Xu2, Benjamin Sadrian2

  • 1Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA; Cognitive Neuroscience Program, City College, City University of New York, New York, USA.

Progress in Brain Research
|April 29, 2014
PubMed
Summary

The olfactory system

Keywords:
entorhinal cortexmediodorsal thalamusodor perceptionorbitofrontal cortexpiriform cortex

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory system research

Background:

  • The olfactory system has extensive cortical areas, including archicortical and neocortical components (entorhinal and orbitofrontal cortices).
  • These areas are crucial for transforming volatile molecules into odor perception, associative memory, and hedonic aspects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the role of olfactory cortical areas in odor perception.
  • To explore the heightened sensitivity of odor perception to various diseases and pathologies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on olfactory cortical structures and function.
  • Analysis of the relationship between olfactory deficits and neurological/psychiatric disorders.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory cortical areas are fundamental to normal odor perception and memory formation.
  • Olfactory deficits are common in disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, depression, and autism, often preceding other sensory impairments.

Conclusions:

  • The unique network of olfactory cortical structures may underlie its particular vulnerability to disease.
  • Further research is needed to understand how olfactory cortical structure influences disease sensitivity.