Brain Byte

Smell

  • Published30 Oct 2020
  • Author Calli McMurray
  • Source BrainFacts/SfN

Specialized cells in the nose convert chemicals in the air into the experience of smell.

Brain Bytes showcase essential facts about neuroscience.

Smell brain byte
Design by A.Tong

Design by Adrienne Tong.

Image "Olfactory bulb" by Matt Valley / Public domain

About the Author

photo of Calli McMurray

Calli McMurray

Calli McMurray is the Media & Science Writing Associate at SfN. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.

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BrainFacts/SfN

Firestein, S. J., Margolskee, R. F., & Kinnamon, S. (1999). Olfaction. In G. J. Siegel, B. W. Agranoff, R. W. Albers, S. K. Fisher, & M. D. Uhler (Eds.), Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects (6th ed.). Lippincott-Raven. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK28226/

Pinto, J. M. (2011). Olfaction. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 8(1), 46–52. https://doi.org/10.1513/pats.201005-035RN

Related Topics Smell Cranial Nerves Cells & Circuits Anatomy Thinking, Sensing & Behaving Brain Anatomy & Function

Also In Smell

Woman smelling flowers
Smell Word Search
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.
Smell: An Overview
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.
Roundup: Scoping Out Smell
Oxide structures of a rose.
Why Do Roses Smell So Sweet?
Close up of a girl smelling a flower.
Making Sense of Scents: Smell and the Brain
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.
Processing Smell

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