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Olfaction

Olfaction

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...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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...

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Electrophysiological Recording from Drosophila Trichoid Sensilla in Response to Odorants of Low Volatility

Electrophysiological Recording from Drosophila Trichoid Sensilla in Response to Odorants of Low Volatility

Published on: July 27, 2017

Odor-evoked increases in olfactory bulb mitral cell spiking variability.

Cheng Ly¹, Andrea K Barreiro², Shree Hari Gautam³

¹Department of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA.

|September 6, 2021

Summary

Neural network spiking variability typically decreases with stimulus onset. However, this study found sensory input increases neural activity variability in the olfactory bulb (OB) in rodents, suggesting a novel coding strategy.

Keywords:

Biological Sciences Cellular Neuroscience Computing Methodology Sensory Neuroscience

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Last Updated: Oct 21, 2025

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Published on: July 27, 2017

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Published on: October 31, 2011

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Published on: June 3, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

Spiking variability in neural networks is crucial for information encoding.
Typically, neural spiking variability decreases upon stimulus onset in cortical and motor regions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether the common principle of decreased spiking variability with stimulus onset applies to the olfactory bulb (OB).
To explore sensory-evoked increases in neural activity variability as a potential coding strategy.

Main Methods:

Electrophysiological recordings in anesthetized and awake rodents.
Computational modeling to elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Main Results:

Contrary to established views, sensory input onset caused an increase in neural activity variability in the mammalian OB.
This phenomenon was observed in both anesthetized and awake animal models.

Conclusions:

The olfactory bulb exhibits a unique response to sensory input, with increased spiking variability.
Sensory-evoked increases in spiking variability represent a viable alternative neural coding strategy.