Special Senses

Question 1

Glomeruli

Answer 1

Spherical tangles of sensory axon terminals from ORNs, synapses, and dendrites of olfactory bulb neurons

Question 2

ORN Firing Mech

Answer 2

Odorant molecule binds R on ORN cilia, activates Golf, activates adenylyl cyclase -> cGMP -> opens cation channels for depol (Na and Ca) and Cl channels send Cl out to amplify depol

Question 3

Key Diff b/w Taste and ORNs

Answer 3

Tastes don’t have axons, just synapse there w/ afferent axons

Question 4

Rs for Taste (2)

Answer 4

Sweet/bitter/umami: GPCR

Salty/sour: Ion channel

Question 5

Taste Pathway

Answer 5

Afferent fibers synapse w/ taste buds, go to solitary nucleus, then thalamus, then insular cortex. Some projections go to orbitofrontal cortex to combine w/ olfaction for flavor

Question 6

Kallman’s Syndrome

Answer 6

Gonadotropin deficiency, most common cause of congenital anosmia

Question 7

Ageusia

Answer 7

Absence of taste