Olfaction Flashcards
ways of olfaction stimulation
orthonasal
retronasal
how is orthonasal pathway stimulated
odour through the nose
how is the retronasal pathway stimulated
aroma through mouth
what happens when you block your nose while eating
can taste (sweet/salt) the content but it has no flavour as the molecules travel up through your nose
what is happening to volatiles during respiration
being directed into nasal cavity below the level of olfactory epithelium
life span of a olfactory nueron
one month
shape of olfactory receptor cell
long, narrow, column less than one micron in diameter
process of smell coding
olfactory neurons detect compounds that triggers receptors in different patterns within the glomeruli
-the patterns of the glomeruli triggering determines the flavour
what is odour acuity subject to
physical and chemical properties
-not general for all compounds
what is anosmia
total loss of the sense of smell
what is specific anosmia
the inability to detect families of similar compounds
what is short term adapatation
decrease in responaiveness under constant stiulation
-intensity is lost within seconds
-decline is gradual and stabilsing at 1-2 minutes
which kind of odours are resistant to adaptation
intense and pleasant
in odour mixtures does the weaker mask the stronger odour or vice versa
stronger odour will mask the weaker
