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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.
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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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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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A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
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Characterizing Olfactory Brain Responses in Young Infants.

Laura K Shanahan1,2, Leena B Mithal3,4, Marci Messina5

  • 1Department of Psychology, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee 38112 shanahanl@rhodes.edu thorsten.kahnt@nih.gov.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|January 27, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Infant odor perception shows strong brain responses in the olfactory cortex and thalamus. Nasal airflow may indicate odor preference, but distinct neural patterns for specific odors were not found in 1-month-olds.

Keywords:
decodingfMRIinfantsolfactionrespirationvalence

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Sensory Perception

Background:

  • Odor perception is vital for early human development.
  • Neural mechanisms of infant olfaction remain largely uncharacterized.
  • Understanding infant sensory processing is crucial for developmental insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate neural responses to odors in 1-month-old infants.
  • To explore differences in brain activity evoked by appetitive versus aversive odors.
  • To assess the relationship between nasal airflow and odor valence in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to record brain activity in sleeping infants.
  • Nasal airflow data was simultaneously collected during odor presentation.
  • Multivariate pattern analysis techniques were applied to fMRI data.

Main Results:

  • Odors elicited significant fMRI activity in the infant olfactory cortex and thalamus.
  • fMRI response magnitudes varied across different odor stimuli.
  • No distinct fMRI activity patterns differentiating odor types were detected in the olfactory cortex or thalamus.
  • Infants exhibited higher inhale airflow rates for appetitive odors compared to aversive odors.

Conclusions:

  • Infants exhibit robust neural responses to odors at one month of age.
  • While overall brain activity is evident, specific odor discrimination via fMRI patterns was not confirmed in this early stage.
  • Nasal airflow modulation suggests a potential behavioral indicator of infant odor preference.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the neural basis of infant olfactory perception.