Olfaction
Olfaction
Olfaction (pronounced: ol-fak-shun) is the sense or act of smelling. It is one of the five traditional senses. The main organ responsible for olfaction is the nose, specifically the olfactory epithelium located in the nasal cavity.
Etymology
The term "olfaction" comes from the Latin olfactus, past participle of olfacere which means "to smell". It was first used in English in the early 19th century.
Process
The process of olfaction begins when odor molecules, also known as odorants, enter the nose. These molecules are detected by the olfactory receptors in the olfactory epithelium. The signals from these receptors are then transmitted to the olfactory bulb, which processes the information and sends it to other parts of the brain for further processing.
Related Terms
- Anosmia: The loss of the sense of smell.
- Hyperosmia: An increased sensitivity to odors.
- Hyposmia: A reduced ability to smell and to detect odors.
- Olfactory bulb: A structure in the brain that processes information about odors.
- Olfactory epithelium: The part of the nasal cavity where olfactory receptors are located.
- Olfactory receptor: A protein that binds to odor molecules and initiates the sense of smell.
See Also
- Gustation: The sense of taste.
- Sensory system: The part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Olfaction
- Wikipedia's article - Olfaction
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