Scoping Out Smell

Published12 Dec 2016
Reviewed12 Dec 2016
Author Michael W. Richardson
Source BrainFacts/SfN

This image shows two types of neurons (pictured in red) — located in the medial amygdala of a mouse — which are involved in the emotional processing of odor information. While both types receive scent information, they communicate this information to different cells — which is reflected in their projections. The cell on the top-left relays information to the hypothalamus some distance away, a brain region important in reproductive and defense behaviors. The bottom-right cell communicates with nearby neurons to dampen the signals they send. Together, these cells help the animal to know whether to prepare for courtship or to flee for safety.

Jortner, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2007.

The image shows a collage of four types of lateral horn neurons (color) and an olfactory projection neuron (white) superimposed on the brain of a locust.

Though your sense of smell is much less powerful than your pet dog’s abilities, researchers have shown that the human brain can recognize at least one trillion different smells! That’s thanks to a complex web of nerve cells and brain circuits called the olfactory system. Check out some of our favorite images of the olfactory system in action, and learn more about how the brain processes smells in this roundup.

Browse through the images and their descriptions. Click on the link in each caption to read the full articles.

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