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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust Schistocerca Americana Olfactory Circuits

Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust Schistocerca Americana Olfactory Circuits

Published on: January 25, 2013

Extracting spatial information from temporal odor patterns: insights from insects.

Paul Szyszka¹, Thierry Emonet², Timothy L Edwards³

¹Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Current Opinion in Insect Science

|July 7, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Animals can use smell to understand their surroundings by analyzing temporal odor patterns. This allows for precise odor source localization, even without sensing wind direction.

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Published on: February 24, 2013

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Last Updated: Jul 24, 2025

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Published on: February 24, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Olfactory processing
Sensory perception

Background:

Extracting spatial information from temporal patterns is key for senses like vision and hearing.
Olfaction is vital for animals to find resources and avoid dangers.
While wind direction aids odor localization, insects can use odor cues alone.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how animals extract spatial information from temporal olfactory stimuli.
To understand the mechanisms behind odor source localization independent of wind sensing.

Main Methods:

Analysis of fine-scale temporal patterns in odor encounters.
Investigating insect olfactory processing capabilities.

Main Results:

Insects can determine odor source location and size from odor patterns.
Spatial information is extracted from the temporal structure of odor stimuli.
Odor encounter patterns provide information on distances between sources.

Conclusions:

Olfaction provides rich spatial information through temporal stimulus analysis.
Insects possess a sophisticated ability to interpret odor timing for navigation.
This research highlights a previously understudied aspect of olfactory spatial perception.