Olfaction

Definition

Olfaction is the sense of smell, which allows organisms to detect and identify airborne chemicals. It involves the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity that send signals to the brain.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Olfactory receptors are located in the olfactory epithelium within the nasal cavity.
2. Humans have around 400 types of olfactory receptor proteins, each capable of detecting different odor molecules.
3. The olfactory bulb processes information from olfactory receptors before sending it to other brain regions like the amygdala and hippocampus.
4. Anosmia is a condition characterized by a loss or absence of the sense of smell.
5. Olfaction plays a critical role in taste perception by detecting flavor components.

Review Questions

• Where are olfactory receptors located?
• How many types of olfactory receptor proteins do humans typically have?
• What is anosmia?

Related terms

Gustation:

The sense of taste, involving taste buds on the tongue that detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami flavors.

Olfactory Bulb: A neural structure involved in processing smell information received from olfactory receptors.

Anosmia: The inability to perceive odor or a lack of functioning olfaction.