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Related Concept Videos

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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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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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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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

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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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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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The Physiology of Taste01:24

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The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Testing for Odor Discrimination and Habituation in Mice
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Gender-Specific Relation Between Olfactory Sensitivity and Disgust Perception.

Ilona Croy1, Johanna Bendas1, Nadja Wittrodt1

  • 1Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74 01307 Dresden, Germany.

Chemical Senses
|January 12, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Men with higher olfactory sensitivity report greater disgust, similar to women. Lower olfactory sensitivity in men correlates with reduced disgust, suggesting smell impacts disease avoidance. This study explores disgust perception and olfactory function.

Keywords:
disgustgenderolfactionsensitivitysexthreshold

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Sensory Science

Background:

  • Disgust is a key emotion for pathogen avoidance, linked to olfactory processing via the anterior insular cortex.
  • Individual differences in olfactory function may influence disgust perception.
  • Understanding this link is crucial for evolutionary psychology and disease avoidance mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between olfactory sensitivity and disgust perception in healthy individuals.
  • To determine if this relationship is specific to olfactory function or extends to other senses like touch.
  • To explore sex differences in the olfactory-disgust connection.

Main Methods:

  • 123 healthy participants completed a disgust sensitivity questionnaire.
  • Olfactory threshold was measured using the Sniffin' Sticks test.
  • Tactile 2-point discrimination threshold was assessed in a subgroup to control for sensory specificity.

Main Results:

  • A significant relationship between olfactory sensitivity and disgust ratings was found exclusively in men.
  • Men with high olfactory sensitivity reported disgust levels comparable to women; men with low sensitivity reported lower disgust.
  • No such relationship was observed for tactile sensitivity, indicating specificity to olfaction.

Conclusions:

  • A specific link exists between disgust levels and olfactory sensitivity in men, who generally report lower disgust than women.
  • High olfactory sensitivity in men may enhance pathogen detection, supporting the evolutionary role of disgust in disease avoidance.
  • Subtle olfactory stimuli perception may be advantageous when disgust responses are lower.