Sense of Smell

Olfactory Cells
Key in sensing smell. Get agitated by odors, which then causes an action potential to be produced.
Receptors encoding vs Vision
About 1200 membrane receptor molecules in mucus membrane - 1200 types of signals (unlike vision, which only has 3 types) that work in combination to produce a smell.
  • it is hypothesized that we gave up our sense of smell brain space for vision!
    • Smell
    Organizational Principle
    Difficult to understand; theres no electromagnetic spectrum for odors.
    Pheromones?
    Powerful effects on behavior, territorial behavior, and identification of kin. Not known to exist in humans.
    Nose
    Is where the olfactory system exists; molecules enter it via dissolving in mucus.
    Types of Taste
  • Sour
  • Salty
  • Sweet
  • Bitter
  • Unami
    • Tongue
    Has taste buds. Can vary in number (super-tasters)
    Taste
    Circumvallate Papilla
    Contains the taste buds. Not high fidelity in their responses.
    Organizational Principle
    Taste bud types are located all over the tongue.
  • Also in airway and lungs. Not for taste, but function the same way - detect chemicals the body does not want.
    • Taste Aversion Learning
    Some food/drink that makes subject sick causes animals to avoid the same taste.
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