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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 5, 2026

High-resolution Measurement of Odor-Driven Behavior in Drosophila Larvae

High-resolution Measurement of Odor-Driven Behavior in Drosophila Larvae

Published on: January 3, 2008

Dexterous single sniffs for ethological active olfaction.

Mang Gao¹, John M Barrett¹, Rita Fischer¹

¹Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.

Science Advances

|July 3, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mice use precise, non-rhythmic single sniffs synchronized with feeding movements, demonstrating complex motor-sensory coordination in active olfaction. This differs from typical rhythmic sniffing and involves motor cortical control.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Animal Behavior
Sensory Systems

Background:

Active olfaction in terrestrial mammals typically involves rhythmic sniffing.
Mice exhibit unique feeding behaviors involving brief food holding under the nares, suggesting a different olfactory strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the coordination of breathing, oromanual dexterity, and olfaction during foraging and feeding in mice.
To characterize the nature of nonrhythmic single sniffs associated with feeding behaviors.

Main Methods:

Recording of kinematics and breathing patterns in mice during foraging and feeding tasks.
Behavioral analysis of sniff timing, synchronization with movements, and respiratory rhythm.
Manipulation of olfactory and motor circuits to determine neural control mechanisms.

Main Results:

Mice synchronize single inspirations with rapid head and hand movements during feeding with millisecond precision.
These solitary food sniffs reset the breathing rhythm and differ from stereotypical rhythmic sniffing.
Behavioral responses varied based on food properties, and motor cortical manipulations confirmed neural control over reflexive mechanisms.

Conclusions:

Mice employ a distinct form of active olfaction involving complex motor-sensory coordination during feeding.
This behavior, characterized by discrete 'snapshot' olfaction, highlights the integration of oromanual dexterity, breathing, and olfaction.
The findings suggest motor cortical involvement rather than simple reflexive control in this specialized olfactory behavior.