Olfaction

Definition

Olfaction is the sense of smell, a sensory system allowing for the detection and identification of odor molecules in the environment. It involves the olfactory system which starts at the nose and connects to the brain's olfactory bulb.

Related terms

Olfactory Bulb:

A neural structure of the vertebrate forebrain involved in olfaction, responsible for processing smell information received from the nose.

Odorant Molecules: Chemical particles in the air that interact with olfactory receptors inside the nose to produce a sense of smell.

Sensory Perception:

The process by which sensory organs and systems translate stimulus energies from the environment into neural signals recognized by the brain