Perception of Olfactory and Gustatory Sensations

Mechanisms of Olfactory Reception

The human sense of smell, or olfaction, is a complex process involving the detection of airborne molecules by olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity...

Structure of the Olfactory System

• Olfactory epithelium: Contains sensory neurons
• Olfactory bulb: Processes smell signals
• Olfactory cortex: Interprets olfactory information

Signal Transduction and Neural Processing

Olfactory receptors detect odorant molecules, initiating a cascade of neural signals that travel to the brain...

Gustatory Sensations

Gustation, or the sense of taste, relies on taste buds located on the tongue to detect different flavor profiles...

Types of Taste Sensations

• Sweet
• Sour
• Salty
• Bitter
• Umami