Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

49.2K
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...
49.2K
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

13.3K
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...
13.3K
The Physiology of Taste01:24

The Physiology of Taste

8.0K
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...
8.0K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

12.1K
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...
12.1K
Gustation01:43

Gustation

52.7K
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.
52.7K
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

1.1K
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.
1.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Response to Doty 2025, predicting odor from structure is useful.

Chemical senses·2026
Same author

Odor Sampling Bags Enable Reliable Delivery of Controlled Odor Concentrations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Effects of nighttime odor exposure and delivery methods on subjective sleep quality in healthy adults.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Mice and humans evaluate odor stimulus strength using common psychophysical principles.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

A quantitative framework for predicting odor intensity across molecule and mixtures.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study.

Brain sciences·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 26, 2026

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
10:42

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

10.1K

Bimodal odor processing with a trigeminal component at sub- and suprathreshold levels.

Robert Pellegrino1, Edda Drechsler1, Cornelia Hummel1

  • 1Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Neuroscience
|July 26, 2017
PubMed
Summary

The brain activates olfactory and trigeminal pathways even before conscious perception of cooling sensations from pleasant odors. This suggests early neural processing for combined sensory experiences.

Keywords:
bimodal odorfMRIolfactionsubliminalthalamustrigeminal

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research
06:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research

Published on: January 19, 2024

1.6K
Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees
13:55

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

13.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 26, 2026

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function
10:42

A Free-breathing fMRI Method to Study Human Olfactory Function

Published on: July 30, 2017

10.1K
Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research
06:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research

Published on: January 19, 2024

1.6K
Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees
13:55

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

13.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory research
  • Sensory processing

Background:

  • Odors engage both olfactory and trigeminal systems, influencing neural encoding.
  • Trigeminal perception can be noticed or ignored, recruiting different neural pathways.
  • Understanding bimodal odor processing is crucial for sensory science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brain activations associated with pleasant bimodal odors using fMRI.
  • To explore perceptual and central nervous system responses to unimodal versus bimodal odors.
  • To determine if neural activation precedes trigeminal perception.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a 3T scanner.
  • Exposure to odorants alone (unimodal) or with a cooling trigeminal component (bimodal).
  • Use of a portable olfactometer at sub- and suprathreshold concentrations.

Main Results:

  • Bimodal odor conditions activated regions like the orbital frontal cortex (OFC), insula, thalamus, and cerebellum compared to unimodal conditions.
  • Significant activations in the OFC, insula, cerebellum, and cingulate cortex occurred even at sub-threshold trigeminal levels.
  • Thalamic activation suggested an early role in mediating attention to dual stimuli.
  • Intensity encoding involved overlap between trigeminal and olfactory processing areas, excluding the amygdala.

Conclusions:

  • The brain processes bimodal odors, including trigeminal components, before conscious perception.
  • Orbital frontal cortex (OFC), insula, and cerebellum are key areas for early bimodal odor encoding.
  • The thalamus plays a role in attentional processes during bimodal olfactory input.
  • Intensity perception of bimodal odors integrates distinct neural pathways.