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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

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 Pathway01:20

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 Structure01:03

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...
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
10:59

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding

Published on: June 29, 2017

Olfactory bulb-cortex oscillations encode perceived odor intensity rather than concentration.

Frans Nordén1, Irene Zanettin1, Mikael Lundqvist1

  • 1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Plos Biology
|May 29, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human olfactory bulb and piriform cortex dynamics encode perceived odor intensity, not concentration. Bidirectional brain communication maintains consistent perception across varying odor levels.

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Last Updated: May 31, 2026

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
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Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals
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Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Published on: October 31, 2011

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Perception
  • Olfactory System

Background:

  • Perceived stimulus intensity is crucial for sensory experience.
  • The neural mechanisms of intensity encoding in the human olfactory system are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how the human olfactory system encodes perceived stimulus intensity.
  • To elucidate the role of oscillatory dynamics in the olfactory bulb (OB) and piriform cortex (PC) in intensity coding.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized noninvasive electrobulbogram recordings.
  • Analyzed oscillatory dynamics, including gamma-band and beta-band activity.
  • Investigated phase-amplitude coupling and transient beta bursts between OB and PC.

Main Results:

  • Oscillatory dynamics in the OB and PC primarily encode perceived intensity, not physical concentration.
  • Early gamma-band activity in the OB transmits perceived intensity to the PC.
  • Top-down beta-band feedback from the PC modulates OB activity.

Conclusions:

  • A novel oscillatory framework underlies intensity coding in the human olfactory system.
  • Perception, rather than physical stimulus properties, plays a primary role.
  • This mechanism supports predictive processing and perceptual constancy in early sensory circuits.