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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

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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.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

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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

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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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Role of Amygdala in Memory01:16

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The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure responsible for processing and storing memories, particularly those linked to emotions like fear and stress. It plays an essential role in the brain's response to emotionally significant events and often enhances memory formation by triggering stress hormone release. The amygdala is vital for encoding and retrieving memories associated with fear or stress, a process that is adaptive by helping organisms avoid dangerous situations.
One of the...
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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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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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Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 12, 2025

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
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Threat Memory in the Sensory Cortex: Insights from Olfaction.

Wen Li1, Donald A Wilson2,3

  • 1Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.

The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry
|January 27, 2023
PubMed
Summary

The olfactory cortex, not just the amygdala, is crucial for threat memory. Its unique structure supports efficient memory encoding, making olfaction a key model for understanding threat memory circuits.

Keywords:
distributed memoryengramfearolfactory conditioningpattern recognitionsensory encodingsensory mechanismsthreat encoding

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Sensory Systems

Background:

  • The amygdala is traditionally central to threat conditioning.
  • Emerging research highlights extra-amygdala circuits, particularly sensory cortices, in memory aspects.
  • Olfactory system research is growing, revealing its role in threat memory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent literature on the olfactory system's role in threat memory.
  • To propose the olfactory (piriform) cortex as a key component of the threat memory network.
  • To highlight the piriform cortex's circuit architecture for memory processing.

Main Methods:

  • Integration of recent human and animal model evidence.
  • Review of neuroanatomical and functional findings.
  • Analysis of piriform cortex circuit properties.

Main Results:

  • The olfactory (piriform) cortex is a primary and necessary part of the threat memory network.
  • It supports mnemonic ensemble coding of acquired threat.
  • Its auto-associative connections facilitate efficient content-addressable memory.

Conclusions:

  • The piriform cortex plays a critical role in threat memory formation and storage.
  • Its structure is well-suited for rapid and efficient memory encoding.
  • Olfaction serves as a valuable model system for studying sensory cortical mechanisms in threat memory.