Chapter 15 – The Chemical Senses

Nose, mouth and trigeminal (chemosensory

irritant) systems
FIGURE 15.1 Organization of the human olfactory system (Part 1)

Receive odorants – volatile, airborne chemicals

Olfactory nerve consist of axons from neurons in the olfactory epithelium
that extend directly to the olfactory bulb

ORN are Bipolar neurons –

have one side with dendrite and
axon
FIGURE 15.1 Organization of the human olfactory system (Part 3)

No thalamic input before cortex processing – just after

- info enters pyriform cortex – “ancient” cortex
- elicits motor, visceral and emotional reactions
Function of olfactory projections
- Conscious appreciation of odorants

- Association of odors with other sensory characteristics

of environment

Pyriform cortex (processes smell), hypothalamus,

amygdala
- motor, visceral, emotional reactions
- Relevant to feeding, reproduction and aggression

- Least well studied (no spatial maps known like visual

and somatosensory cortex)
FIGURE 15.1 Organization of the human olfactory system (Part 4)

Processes olfaction

Fear memories

Memory, perception
FIGURE 15.2 Odorant perception in mammals

ORN = olfactory receptor neurons

Cancer Sniffing Dogs!

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/health/cancer-smelling-dogs/
FIGURE 15.3 Humans can track scents at low concentrations over long distances

A) Pheasant scent (dog)

B) Chocolate essential oil
scent (human)
C) humans CAN improve in
accuracy and speed

Orthogonal digressions in both

Black = distance from scent line

Deviation decreases with inc
days training

Red = speed
Increases with experience
FIGURE 15.4 Human sensitivity to odors (Part 1)

Above 50%
= perception
FIGURE 15.4 Human sensitivity to odors (Part 2)

Concentration dependent smell

Putrid - decomposing
FIGURE 15.4 Human sensitivity to odors (Part 3)

Enantiomer molecules (mirror images)

FIGURE 15.4 Human sensitivity to odors (Part 4)

Brain activity is affected by odor preference

- fMRI – activity in brain determined by blood flow

Red = cingulate cortex, white = orbitofrontal

FIGURE 15.5 Loss of olfactory sensitivity

7 scents presented:
baby powder, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, mothalls, pb and soap

Normal decline
Activity
declines in olf
brain regions

Compromised in early Parkinson’s and some

psychotic disorders like schizophrenia
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS Only One Nose

1937 trail of zinc-based nasal sprays – meant to prevent polio

irreversible loss of smell
1990s Zicam used to prevent rhinovirus

adenyl cyclase
III – integrity of
signal
transduction

OMP – olfac
marker protein
labels ORN
Visceral motor responses: How are these adaptive?

• salivating
• gagging
• synchronized menses (menstrual cycle)
• mother-child bonding
• breast milk orienting by newborns

Phermones – chemical signals made by conspecifics

- play a large role in non-human mammals
- lead to social reproductive and parenting behaviors
- detected by vomeronasal organ, AOB and MOB
ex: dog/cat – openings in membrane above upper
gum line
FIGURE 15.6 Structure and function of the olfactory epithelium (Part 1)

regenerates every 6-8 weeks in rodents

model for NS repair
inferior

detoxify

Mucus
maker

superior
FIGURE 15.7 Receptor potentials are generated in the cilia of receptor neurons
FIGURE 15.13 Organization of the mammalian olfactory bulb (Part 1)

Glomeruli
- bundle of dendrites and synapses
- Found in olfactory bulb
- target of primary olf receptor neurons

Inset – glomeruli in
mushroom body (olf
bulb equiv) in
drosophila (fly)
FIGURE 15.13 Organization of the mammalian olfactory bulb (Part 4)
FIGURE 15.14 Responses of chemically distinct odorants in individual glomeruli (Part 1)

Spatial distribution of active and inactive glomeruli

produces a msg unique for each odorant at certain
concentration
See video – first half only
FIGURE 15.20 The human taste system (Part 1)

Taste buds on tongue, soft palate, pharynx and upper

esophagus!

Soft palate

pharynx

facial nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve

FIGURE 15.20 The human taste system (Part 2)

Thalamus

Brainstem

3
cranial
nerves
FIGURE 15.20 The human taste system (Part 3)

Bilateral, but usually one side dominates (left)

FIGURE 15.21 Taste buds and taste papillae (Part 1)

Less sensitive than smell for nonharmful taste (2mM-20mM vs .01nM)

.0001mM for deadly substances (bitter)
Figure 15.18 Taste buds and taste papillae (Part 2)

Life of taste bud = 2 weeks

4000 buds in your mouth with 1mm opening
FIGURE 15.22 Peripheral innervation of the tongue (Part 1)

bitter at rear – can lead to protrusion

of tongue, gagging
NaCl - electrolytes

acidity (H+) alkaloids –

atropine, quinine,
strychnine – glucose - energy
umami - glutamate and AAs
poison indicators
FIGURE 15.22 Peripheral innervation of the tongue (Part 2)

insular cortex

limitations to this system – other tastes: astringent

(cranberries, tea), pungent (hot peppers, ginger), fat,
starch, metallic tastes
FIGURE 15.23 Sensory transduction in taste cells

- connected laterally to
other taste cells via gap
junctions

- positive ions (Na or H) will

depolarize cell and cause
VG channels to open –
leading to NT release

- taste buds are usually

dedicated to one of the five
tastes as determined by the
ion channel or receptor
protein
FIGURE 15.24 Molecular mechanisms of taste transduction via ion channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors (Part 1)
FIGURE 15.24 Molecular mechanisms of taste transduction via ion channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors (Part 2)

Nonselective cation channel

TRP = transient receptor

potential
(related to polycystic kidney
variant)
FIGURE 15.24 Molecular mechanisms of taste transduction via ion channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors (Part 3)

Sweet, umami, bitter all have

G-protein coupled receptors

Sweet T1R2 and T1R3

Umami (amino acid) T1R1

and T1R3

Bitter T2R
FIGURE 15.24 Molecular mechanisms of taste transduction via ion channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors (Part 4)

TRPM5 channel is important for sweet, umami and bitter

FIGURE 15.24 Molecular mechanisms of taste transduction via ion channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors (Part 5)