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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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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex.
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Gustation01:43

Gustation

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Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
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Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

Taste Buds and Receptors

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Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
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Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

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Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive...
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Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display
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Enhancement Method of Surface Acoustic Wave-Atomizer Efficiency for Olfactory Display

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Smelling phenomenal.

Benjamin D Young1

  • 1Department of Cognitive and Brain Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Frontiers in Psychology
|July 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Qualitative-consciousness in olfaction emerges at the sensory level. Olfactory awareness is always qualitative, though qualitative-consciousness can occur without awareness, impacting social behaviors and mood.

Keywords:
access-consciousnessanosmiaawarenessconsciousnessolfactionolfactory imageryphenomenal-consciousnessqualitative-consciousness

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Sensory Perception

Background:

  • Qualitative-consciousness is central to sensory experiences.
  • Distinguishing between phenomenal consciousness and awareness is crucial for understanding subjective experience.
  • Olfaction provides a unique model for studying consciousness due to its direct link to emotional and social processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To differentiate between awareness and qualitative-consciousness in olfaction.
  • To provide an empirically viable framework for studying olfactory consciousness.
  • To explore the relationship between olfactory processing, awareness, and phenomenal experience.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of consciousness theories applied to olfaction.
  • Review of empirical research on olfactory processing, mate selection, social preference, and affective disorders.
  • Analysis of olfactory imagery experiments and secondary processing measures.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory qualitative-consciousness arises at the sensory processing level.
  • Olfactory qualitative-consciousness can exist independently of awareness.
  • All consciously perceived olfactory states possess a qualitative character.

Conclusions:

  • A precise distinction between awareness and qualitative-consciousness is applicable to olfaction.
  • Olfactory consciousness is inherently qualitative, even in the absence of explicit awareness.
  • Understanding olfactory consciousness has implications for social behavior, mate selection, and affective disorders.