Following injury or damage, insulin plays a key role in the maturation and regeneration of immature olfactory sensory neurons.
Small changes in a single olfactory receptor gene can affect how strong, or how pleasant, a person finds a particular odor.
Functional olfactory receptors have been identified in human taste cells. The findings suggest olfactory receptors play a role in the taste system by interacting with taste receptors on the tongue. The brain, researchers say, combines input from taste, smell and other senses to create a multi-modal sensation of flavor.
Researchers report the personal odors of healthy animals change when they share an environment with a sick animal. The findings suggest these changes could impact social contact and patterns of disease spread.
Researchers shed new light on how stem cells on the tongue grow into different types of mature taste cells dedicated to specific tastes.
Smell influences how children evaluate strange faces, a new study reports.
Researchers question whether eating 'good tasting' foods drives overeating leading to obesity.