PSYC 2390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Olfactory Receptor Neuron, Olfactory Mucosa, Olfactory Bulb

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2390
• Professor: Lana Trick

Document Summary

Chemical sense involves direct contact with what is being sensed (as opposed to hearing and vision) Molecules are floating in the air, into your nose (not all things give off molecules) In order to be smelled molecules must be soluble so that smell can stick in our nose. Olfactory mucosa (epithelium: dime sized region located on the roof of the nasal cavity (two small areas, one on the left and one on the right side, made up of a number of kinds of cells. Responsible for secreting mucus (odor molecules stick to mucus) Olfactory binding protein causes the odor to stick to the mucus. Common chemical sense (a little bit a sense of smell, taste, and pain) Common chemical sense is supposed to be protective. These neurons die and are replaced every 5-7 weeks (connection between mucus and brain is rebuilt) 350 different types of orn in the mucosa in humans.