AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Your ability to smell comes from specialized sensory cells, called olfactory sensory neurons, which are found in a small patch of tissue high inside the nose. These cells connect directly to the brain. Each olfactory neuron has one odor receptor.

Detailed explanation-2: -In mammals, the main olfactory epithelium lies in the dorsal nasal cavity, and its sensory neurons send projections to glomeruli in the main olfactory bulb. A wide variety of volatile odorants partition from the air into the fluid surrounding the cilia of ORNs, where they are detected by odor receptors.

Detailed explanation-3: -The olfactory nerve is the first cranial nerve (CN I). It is a sensory nerve that functions for the sense of smell. Olfaction is phylogenetically referred to as the oldest of the senses. It is carried out through special visceral afferent nerve.

Detailed explanation-4: -Olfactory receptors (ORs) belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor family and play a critical role in recognizing thousands of odorant molecules in the olfactory sensory system.

Detailed explanation-5: -Smell. Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) are bipolar neurons that are activated when airborne molecules in inspired air bind to olfactory receptors (ORs) expressed on their cilia.