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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

49.9K
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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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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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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Perception01:28

Perception

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Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
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Related Experiment Video

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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
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A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

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Olfactory perception, cognition, and dysfunction in humans.

Richard J Stevenson1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science
|August 26, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The sense of smell aids in finding food, avoiding danger, and social interactions through a dual sensory system. Olfactory cognition processing and system breakdowns, potentially predicting neurodegenerative diseases, are also discussed.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Biology

Background:

  • Olfaction is crucial for survival, influencing food detection, predator avoidance, and social communication.
  • A unique dual-mode sensory system allows smell to detect environmental odors and food-related volatile chemicals, contributing to flavor perception.
  • The brain processes complex odorant blends against background noise using adaptation and pattern matching.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the multifaceted functions of olfaction, including its role in flavor perception and survival.
  • To examine the cognitive aspects of odor perception (olfactory cognition) and its unique characteristics compared to other sensory modalities.
  • To investigate the implications of olfactory system dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Review of olfactory sensory physiology, anatomy, and psychology.
  • Analysis of cognitive processes involved in odor recognition and olfactory cognition.
  • Examination of clinical data linking olfactory system breakdown to neurodegenerative conditions and schizophrenia.

Main Results:

  • Olfaction employs a dual-mode system for environmental and food-related chemical detection, linking odor to eating consequences.
  • The brain adapts to background odors and uses pattern matching for odor recognition.
  • Olfactory cognition shares some features with other sensory cognition but possesses unique aspects.
  • Olfactory system dysfunction can be an early indicator of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and has prognostic value in schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

  • Olfaction is a complex sensory system vital for survival and flavor perception, involving sophisticated neural processing.
  • Olfactory cognition offers unique insights into general models of cognition and consciousness.
  • Olfactory system integrity is linked to neurological and psychiatric health, with potential diagnostic and prognostic value.