Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026
08:36
Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: April 11, 2025
1000
Smelling Time: A Neural Basis for Olfactory Scene Analysis
Barry W Ache1, Andrew M Hein2, Yuriy V Bobkov3
1Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences, Center for Smell and Taste, and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Trends in Neurosciences
|September 6, 2016
Summary
Animals may use bursting olfactory receptor neurons (bORNs) to detect temporal patterns in smells. This suggests olfaction plays a key role in perceiving time and space, enabling a richer understanding of the environment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Biology
- Olfactory System
Background:
- Olfaction is traditionally viewed as primarily spatial.
- Emerging evidence suggests olfaction's role in temporal interpretation is underestimated.
- Animals inhabit complex olfactory environments requiring temporal processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for neural mechanisms enabling temporal information extraction in olfaction.
- To explore the role of bursting olfactory receptor neurons (bORNs) in time encoding.
- To propose how 'smelling time' contributes to olfactory scene analysis.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing behavioral and neural evidence.
- Analysis of studies on phylogenetically diverse animals and humans.
- Examination of the properties of rhythmically active olfactory receptor neurons.
Main Results:
- Behavioral data support olfaction's involvement in interpreting space and time.
- Bursting olfactory receptor neurons (bORNs) are identified as potential neural substrates for temporal encoding.
- bORNs can extract temporal information from natural olfactory signals.
Conclusions:
- Olfaction possesses mechanisms, like bORNs, for encoding time.
- 'Smelling time' is a crucial component for comprehensive olfactory scene analysis.
- The olfactory system's capacity for temporal interpretation is greater than previously assumed.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
13.7K
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...
The olfactory...
13.7K
01:25Olfaction
49.6K
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...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
49.6K
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
13.7K
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...
13.7K
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
8.8K
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....
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....
8.8K
01:24Vision
61.2K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
61.2K
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
10.3K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
10.3K