Olfactory

Pathway

Sense of Smell
Smell is the least understood of our senses.

A. Stimulus – Odorant or Odoriferous substances

Physical Factors that affect the degree of stimulation

1. only volatile substances that can be sniffed into the nostril

can be smelled.
2. the stimulating substances must be slightly water soluble.
3. substances must be at least slightly lipid soluble.
 Smell (olfaction)
 Olfactory apparatus consists of receptor cells, supporting cells
and basal (stem) cells.
• Basal cells generate new receptor cells every 1-2 months.
• Supporting cells contain enzymes that oxidize hydrophobic volatile
odorants.
 Bipolar sensory neurons located within olfactory epithelium are
pseudostratified.
• Axon projects directly up into olfactory bulb of cerebrum.
 Olfactory bulb projects to olfactory cortex, hippocampus, and amygdaloid
nuclei.
 Synapses with 2nd order neuron.
• Dendrite projects into nasal cavity where it terminates in cilia.
 Neuronal glomerulus receives input from 1 type of olfactory
receptor.
Stimulation of the Olfactory Cells

Mechanism of Excitation of the Olfactory Cells

1. Activation of the receptor protein by the odorant
substance activates the G-protein complex

2. This, in turn activates multiple molecules of adenylyl cyclase

inside the olfactory cell membrane
3. This causes the formation of many times more of molecules
of cAMP
4. cAMP opens still many times more sodium channels
Olfactory nerve
 Olfactory receptors

Olfactory Frontal lobe

epithelium of cerebrum
Olfactory tract Mitral cell
Olfactory Olfactory
bulb tract Glomeruli

Nasal
Cribriform plate
conchae
of ethmoid bone

Filaments of
olfactory nerve
Route of Lamina propria
Olfactory
inhaled air connective tissue
gland
Axon
Basal cell
Olfactory receptor
Olfactory cell
epithelium Supporting cell

Dendrite
Mucus Olfactory cilia

Route of inhaled
air containing odor
molecules
 Olfactory Receptors
 Bipolar sensory neurons located within olfactory epithelium
• Dendrite projects into nasal cavity, terminates in cilia
• Axon projects directly up into olfactory bulb of cerebrum
• Olfactory bulb projects to olfactory cortex, hippocampus, and amygdaloid
nuclei
Olfactory
OlfactoryEpithelium
Epitheliumand
andOlfactory
OlfactoryBulb
Bulb

Olfactory
epithelium

Olfactory Bulb
Glomerulus
Mitral cell
Tufted cell
periglomerular
cell
Olfactory tract
 Olfactory
OlfactoryPathway
Pathway

Modality:
Modality: Olfaction
Olfaction
Receptor:
Receptor:Olfactory
OlfactoryCell
Cellof
ofOlfactory
OlfactoryEpithelium
Epithelium
Cranial
CranialNerve:
Nerve:II(Olfactory
(OlfactoryNerve)
Nerve)
1st
1st Neuron:
Neuron:Olfactory
OlfactoryBulb
Bulb---
---Mitral
Mitral&&Tufted
TuftedCell
Cell
olfactory
olfactorytract
tract
olfactory
olfactorystriae
striae
lateral
lateral&&intermediate
intermediateolfactory
olfactorystriae
striae
Termination:
Termination:Primary
PrimaryOlfactory
OlfactoryArea
Area(Rhinencephalon)
(Rhinencephalon)
piriform
piriformlobe
lobe (prepiriform
(prepiriformcortex,
cortex,entorhinal
entorhinalcortex)
cortex)
corticomedial
corticomedial amygdala
amygdala
anterior
anteriorperforated
perforatedsubstance
substance(olfactory
(olfactorytubercle)
tubercle)
Olfactory
OlfactorySystem
System--Olfactory
OlfactoryPathways
Pathways

A. olfactory epithelium
B. olfactory bulb
C. nucleus of diagonal band
of Broca
D. periamygdaloid cortex
E. cirticomedial amygdala
F. entorhinal area
G. septal nuclei

I. olfactory nerve
1. olfactory tract
2. lateral olfactory stria
3. intermediate olfactory stria
4. medial olfactory stria
 Olfactory Pathways
I. olfactory nerve 2. lateral olfactory striae
1. olfactory tract 3. intermediate olfactory striae

A. olfactory
epithelium
B. olfdactory bulb
C. anterior
olfactory
nucleus &
I olfactory
tubercle
D. periamygdaloid
area
E. corticomedial
amygdala
F. entorhinal area
Olfactory
OlfactorySystem
System--Connections
Connectionsof
ofPrimary
PrimaryOlfactory
OlfactoryCortex
Cortex

A. olfactory epithelium
B. olfactory bulb
C. nucleus of diagonal band
of Broca
D. periamygdaloid cortex
E. cirticomedial amygdala
F. entorhinal area
G. mediodorsal thalamic
nucleus (MD)
I. olfactory nerve
1. olfactory tract
2. lateral olfactory stria
3. intermediate olfactory stria
4. thalamocortical radiation
 Membrane Potentials and Action Potentials in Olfactory
Cells
Adaptation – Large numbers of centrifugal nerve fibers pass
from the olfactory regions of the brain backward along the
olfactory tract and terminate on special inhibitory cell s in the
olfactory bulb, the granule cells

Primary Sensations of Smell

1. Camphoraceous
2. Musky
3. Floral
4. Pepperminty
5. Ethereal
6. Pungent
7. Putrid
Olfactory Cells > Glomerulus > Mitral Cells > Olfactory
Bulb > Olfactory Tract

D. Center

Olfactory Area
1. Medial Olfactory Area – Very Old Olfactory System
*subserves the basic olfactory reflexes such as licking of the
lips, salivation, and other feeding responses caused by smell

of food
2. Lateral Olfactory Area –
A.. Less Old Olfactory system
provides automatic but partially learned control of food
intake and aversion to toxic and unhealthy foods
B. Newer Pathway
Used for conscious perception and analysis of olfaction

Adaptation (Centrifugal Control of Activity in the Olfactory

Bulb by the Central Nervous System)

Abnormalities of Olfaction
1. Anosmia – absence of the sense of smell
2. Hyposmia – diminished olfactory sensitivity

3. Dysosmia – distorted sense of smell

 Olfaction
 Neuronal glomerulus receives input from 1 type of olfactory receptor
 Odorant molecules bind to receptors and act through G-proteins to increase cAMP.
• Open membrane channels, and cause generator potential; which stimulate the production
of APs.
• Up to 50 G-proteins may be associated with a single receptor protein.
• G-proteins activate many G- subunits - amplifies response.
 Smell (continued)

 Odorant molecules bind to

receptors and act through
G-proteins to increase
cAMP.
• Open membrane channels,
and cause generator potential;
which stimulate the
production of APs.
• Up to 50 G-proteins may be
associated with a single
receptor protein.
• Dissociation of these G-
proteins releases may G-
subunits.
 Amplify response.
 Smell (Olfaction)
 Olfactory epithelium with olfactory receptors, supporting cells, basal cells
 Olfactory receptors are modified neurons
 Surfaces are coated with secretions from olfactory glands
 Olfactory reception involves detecting dissolved chemicals as they interact
with odorant binding proteins
Thank You