The Power of Scent

Exploring the Human Sense of Smell

The Sense of Smell

Olfactory Mucous Membrane

-Olfactory receptor cells

-Area of 5cm2 in roof of nasal cavity near the septum

-10 to 20 million receptor cells

-Each olfactory receptor is a neuron

-Olfactory mucous membrane is the place in body where NS is closest to external world

Composition of Olfactory epithelium ??

-Each neuron has a thick dendrite with an expanded end called olfactory rod

-From rods cilia project to the mucous surface

-Each receptor neuron has 10-20 cilia

-Axons of olfactory receptor neurons pierce cribriform plate of ethmoid bone and enter olfactory bulbs

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Mucus producing Glands

-Olfactory mucous membrane is constantly covered by mucus

-Mucus is produced by Bowman’s glands, placed just under the basal lamina of the membrane

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Olfactory Bulbs

-Axons of receptors contact the primary dendrites of mitral cells and tufted cells.

-Forming complex globular synapses called olfactory glomeruli.

-Periglomerular cells are inhibitory neurons connecting one glomerulus to another

-Granule cells have no axons and make reciprocal synapses with lateral dendrites of tufted and mitral cells

-Mitral and Tufted – excite granule releasing glutamate and granule cell in turn inhibits both by releasing GABA

Stimulation of Olfactory cells

G-protein is stimulated -triggers activation of Adenyl cyclase (enzyme speeds up the conversion of ATP to cAMP – cAMP then binds to action channels in membrane of cilia- this causes channels to open and Ca ions to enter cilia – influx of Ca ions activates Cl channels to open and Cl leaves. Membrane becomes depolarized and AP is created. The action potential travels down the axon of olfactory receptor cell eventually meets with the other axons

Transmission of smell signals to CNS

Olfactory thresholds and discrimination?

Olfactory receptors respond only to substances in contact with olfactory epithelium and need to be dissolved in mucus

Methyl marcaptan one of the substances in garlic can be smelled at very low concentration showing the remarkable sensitivity of olfactory receptors

Humans can recognize more than 10.000 different odors

However determination of intensity of odor is poor

?Vomeronasal Organ

Organ is not well developed in humans very well developed in rodents

This organ is concerned with perception of odors that act as pheromones

There is evidence of pheromones in humans and a close relationship between smell and sexual function

Role of Pain Fibers in the Nose

Many trigeminal pain fibers are found in olfactory membrane

They are stimulated by irritating substances

Are responsible for initiating sneezing, lacrimation and other reflex responses.

Abnormalities

·?????? Anosmia – absence of sense of smell

·?????? Hyposmia – diminished olfactory sensitivity

·?????? Dysosmia – distorted sense of smell

·?????? More than 75% of humans over the age of 80 have an impaired ability to identify smells

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