Lecture 8- Olfaction

Question 1

odor

Answer 1

the translation of a chemical stimulus into a smell sensation

Question 2

odorant

Answer 2

molecule that is defined by its physiochemical characteristics, which are capable of being translated by the nervous system into the perception of smells

Question 3

to be smelled… odors must be:

Answer 3

small
volatile (float through the air)
hydrophobic (water-repellent)

Question 4

stimulus for olfaction

Answer 4

a single molecule, or amalgam, of a volatile substance

Question 5

volatility

Answer 5

tendency of a substance to “vaporize”; for molecules to detach from a liquid or solid

Question 6

olfactory cleft

Answer 6

narrow space at the back/top of the nose into which air flows, where the main olfactory epithelium is located

Question 7

olfactory epithelium

Answer 7

a secretory (thing that secretes) mucous membrane in the human nose whose primary function is to detect odorants in inhaled air

Question 8

olfactory epithelium mucosa

Answer 8

on the roof of the nasal cavity

Question 9

supporting cells

Answer 9

provide metabolic and physical support for the olfactory sensory neurons

Question 10

olfactory sensory neurons (OSN)

Answer 10

main cell type in the olfactory epithelium.
- small neurons located beneath watery mucous layer in the epithelium

Question 11

basal cells

Answer 11

precursor cells to olfactory sensory neurons (can differentiate to replace other epithelial cells)

Question 12

olfactory cilia

Answer 12

project through the mucous and are the receptor sites for odorant molecules

Question 13

cribriform plate

Answer 13

bony structure riddled with tiny holes, at the level of the eyebrows, that separate the nose from the brain

Question 14

Olfactory nerves

Answer 14

axons of the olfactory sensory neurons bundle together after passing through the cribriform plate to form the olfactory nerve

Question 15

olfactory bulb

Answer 15

blueberry sized extension of the brain just above the nose, where olfactory info is first processed

Question 16

how many olfactory bulbs are there?

Answer 16

2- one in each hemisphere
- connections are ipsilateral

Question 17

anosmia

Answer 17

the total inability to smell, most often resulting from sinus illness or head trauma

Question 18

parosmia

Answer 18

common sequelae of smell loss, associated with COVID-19, with onset on average of 3 months after initial infection

Question 19

hyposmia

Answer 19

partial loss of smell

Question 20

ageusia

Answer 20

loss of taste

Question 21

hypogeusia

Answer 21

partial loss of taste

Question 22

True or false: the olfactory bulb relays information through the thalamus

Answer 22

FALSE: smell is the only sense that doesnt use the central relay station

Question 23

primary olfactory cortex

Answer 23

neural area where olfactory info is first processed. Includes:
amygdala
parahippocampal gyrus
entorhinal cortex

Question 24

limbic system

Answer 24

encompassing groups of neural structures that include:
olfactory cortex
amygdala
hippocampus
piriform cortex
entorhinal cortex
- involved in many aspects of emotion and memory

Question 25

what is unique about olfaction?

Answer 25

• doesnt relay info through thalamus
• direct and intimate connection with limbic system

Question 26

why do scents have such strong emotional connections?

Answer 26

olfactions connection with the limbic system

Question 27

amygdala

Answer 27

implicated in associated emotions with memory

Question 28

hippocampus

Answer 28

implicated in generating memories of events, and in detecting novel stimuli in an environment

Question 29

Orbitofrontal cortex

Answer 29

implicated in associating a reward with the smell
- coffee smells great and is magic thinking juice

Question 30

what kind of memory is smell associated with?

Answer 30

explicit and implicit

Question 31

explicit memory

Answer 31

memory that can be deliberately recalled and recounted (birthdays)

Question 32

implicit memory

Answer 32

memory that cannot be deliberately recalled, but nonetheless exists (how to walk)

Question 33

explicit memory of an odor

Answer 33

smell reminds me of grandparents house

Question 34

implicit memory of an odor

Answer 34

i prefer perfume 1 to perfume 2 and i dont know why

Question 35

aromatherapy

Answer 35

the contention that odors can influence, improve, and alter mood, performance, well-being, as well as the physiological correlates of emotion such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep

Question 36

odour-evoked memory

Answer 36

memories evoked by odours are more emotionally intense than memories evoked by other senses

Question 37

chemosignals

Answer 37

any of various chemicals emitted by humans are detected by the olfactory system and that may have some effect on the mood, behaviour, hormonal status, and/or sexual arousal of other humans

Question 38

androstadienone

Answer 38

hormone derived from testosterone that is in higher concentration in body fluids of males (sweat)
- improves women’s mood, cortisol, sexual arousal

Question 39

odour hedonics

Answer 39

the “liking” dimension of odour perception. measured with scales pertaining to perceived pleasantness, familiarity, intensity