Painting of a woman smelling a carnation. Olfaction uses chemoreceptors that create signals processed in the brain that form the sense of smell.
Details
System
Olfactory system
Function
sense chemicals in the environment that are used to form the sense of smell
Identifiers
MeSH
D012903
Anatomical terminology
[edit on Wikidata]
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]
^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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dog senseofsmell is the most powerful senseof this species, the olfactory system of canines being much more complex and developed than that of humans...
"specific anosmia". The absence of the senseofsmell from birth is known as congenital anosmia. In the United States, 3% of people aged over 40 are affected...
their senseofsmell. An odor is also called a "smell" or a "scent", which can refer to either an unpleasant or a pleasant odor. While "odor" and "smell" can...
visual system (senseof vision), auditory system (senseof hearing), somatosensory system (senseof touch), olfactory system (senseofsmell), and gustatory...
human olfactory sense is one of the most phylogenetically primitive and emotionally intimate of the five senses; the sensation ofsmell is thought to be...
instead of their vestigial gills. After the juvenile stage, they will drown if immersed in water for too long. They have an acute senseofsmell which they...
developed primarily for hunting hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great senseofsmell and superior tracking instincts, the beagle is the primary breed used...
can harbour pathogens. Another major function of the nose is olfaction, the senseofsmell. The area of olfactory epithelium, in the upper nasal cavity...
finding truffles using its refined senseofsmell, visual clues, and long-term memory of prosperous populations of truffles. This intimacy between animals...
Breakthrough of the Year and Perfumer of the Year, Life Time Achievement. National SenseofSmell Day is an annual event sponsored by the SenseofSmell Institute...
odorants (for example, compounds that have an odor) which give rise to the senseofsmell. Activated olfactory receptors trigger nerve impulses which transmit...
Hyperosmia is an increased olfactory acuity (heightened senseofsmell), usually caused by a lower threshold for odor. This perceptual disorder arises...
along with the senseofsmell and trigeminal nerve stimulation (registering texture, pain, and temperature), determines flavors of food and other substances...
nerve that contains sensory nerve fibers relating to the senseofsmell. The afferent nerve fibers of the olfactory receptor neurons transmit nerve impulses...
or neck cancer. A physician can determine if the problem is with the senseofsmell (olfactory system) or taste (gustatory system), or if it is caused by...
photographer Tom Howard. Sudeikis was born with anosmia, leaving him with no senseofsmell. Sudeikis moved with his family to Overland Park within Johnson County...
partners. Using the senseofsmell as an instrument paved a way for smell to become a platform of nonverbal communication. Smell also has a significant...
while more complex devices can also cut off the senseofsmell, touch, taste, thermoception (heat-sense), and the ability to know which way is down. Sensory...
poor senseofsmell. The nasal cavity of mammals has been enlarged, in part, by the development of a palate cutting off the entire upper surface of the...
solitary animals. They may be diurnal or nocturnal and have an excellent senseofsmell. Despite their heavy build and awkward gait, they are adept runners...
The olfactory system or senseofsmell is the sensory system used for smelling (olfaction). Olfaction is one of the special senses, that have directly...
that enhances their senseofsmell. Bats heavily depend on echolocation. Echolocation allows an animal to navigate with their senseof hearing by emitting...
good at detecting movement in low light, have an acute senseof hearing and smell, and their senseof touch is enhanced by long whiskers that protrude from...