Sense of smell

Smell
Painting of a woman smelling a carnation. Olfaction uses chemoreceptors that create signals processed in the brain that form the sense of smell.
Details
SystemOlfactory system
Functionsense chemicals in the environment that are used to form the sense of smell
Identifiers
MeSHD012903
Anatomical terminology

The sense of smell, or olfaction,[nb 1] is the special sense through which smells (or odors) are perceived.[2] The sense of smell has many functions, including detecting desirable foods, hazards, and pheromones, and plays a role in taste.

In humans, it occurs when an odor binds to a receptor within the nasal cavity, transmitting a signal through the olfactory system.[3] Glomeruli aggregate signals from these receptors and transmit them to the olfactory bulb, where the sensory input will start to interact with parts of the brain responsible for smell identification, memory, and emotion.[4]

There are many different things which can interfere with a normal sense of smell, including damage to the nose or smell receptors, anosmia, upper respiratory infections, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disease.[5][6]

  1. ^ Harper, Douglas. "olfaction". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  2. ^ Wolfe, J; Kluender, K; Levi, D (2012). Sensation & perception (3rd ed.). Sinauer Associates. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-87893-572-7.
  3. ^ de March, CA; Ryu, SE; Sicard, G; Moon, C; Golebiowski, J (2015). "Structure–odour relationships reviewed in the postgenomic era". Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 30 (5): 342–361. doi:10.1002/ffj.3249.
  4. ^ Schacter, D; Gilbert, D; Wegner, D (2011). "Sensation and Perception". Psychology. Worth Publishers. pp. 166–171. ISBN 978-1-4292-3719-2.
  5. ^ Xydakis, MS; Mulligan, LP; Smith, AB; Olsen, CH; Lyon, DM; Belluscio, L (2015). "Olfactory impairment & traumatic brain injury in blast-injured combat troops". Neurology. 84 (15): 1559–67. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001475. PMC 4408285. PMID 25788559.
  6. ^ Xydakis, MS; Belluscio, L (2017). "Detection of neurodegenerative disease using olfaction". The Lancet Neurology. 16 (6): 415–416. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30125-4. PMID 28504103. S2CID 5121325. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2019.


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