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olfactory processing

This shows an older man smelling a flower.

·October 25, 2023·6 min read

Sniffing Out Longevity: Aversion to Harmful Odors May Affect Lifespan

Nematodes from the species Caenorhabditis elegans show aversion to harmful odors, which might be an indicator of their enhanced longevity. A new study reveals that these odor molecules from pathogenic bacteria not only induce avoidance behaviors in the nematodes but also stimulate a protective neural circuit in other tissues.

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·July 28, 2022·6 min read

Rapid Loss of Smell Predicts Dementia and Smaller Brain Areas Linked to Alzheimer’s

Smell loss in older individuals not only can predict cognitive decline, but it can also foretell structural changes in brain structures linked to Alzheimer's disease, a new study reports.

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·June 19, 2022·5 min read

Ant Brain Complexity Revealed for the First Time at a Cellular Level Using Single Cell Technology

Using single-cell technology, researchers discover how the social division of labor in an ant colony reflects in the functional specialization of the ant brain at a cellular level.

This shows a little girl smelling a flower

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·May 29, 2022·5 min read

Seeing How Odor Is Processed in the Brain

Odor information in the brain is unrelated to perception during the early stages of being processed, but when perception later occurred, unpleasant odors were processed more quickly than pleasant odors.

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·April 4, 2022·3 min read

The Brain Processes Smell Both Like a Painting and a Symphony

Centrifugal fibers which carry impulses from parts of the central nervous system to early sensory regions of the brain play a critical role in olfactory processing.

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·November 14, 2017·4 min read

Mammal Brains Identify Type of Scent Faster Than Previously Thought

Researchers report it takes less than a tenth of a second for mice to distinguish between different odors.

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·August 24, 2017·3 min read

How the Emotions of Others Influence Our Olfactory Sense

A new study reveals the emotional expression on other people's faces can influence whether we perceive an odor in a positive or negative light.

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·June 6, 2017·5 min read

New Insights Into How the Brain Processes Scents

Theta oscillations may play an important role in olfactory processing, a new study reports.

This is a diagram of the human olfactory system

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2013·3 min read

A Shot of Anxiety and the World Stinks

A new neuroimaging study reveals how anxiety or stress can link areas of the brain for emotion and olfactory processing, making neutral odors smell malodorous.