Neural waves of three distinct registers combine to give the brain a picture of what's being smelled, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in PLOS Biology. This is a full ...

Scents are not only processed by the olfactory center, but also by the brain’s reward and aversion systems, explaining how scents can take on meaning. “We already knew that there is a connection ...

Smell has the power to transport us across time and space. It could be the sweet fragrance of jasmine, or the musty scent of algae. Suddenly, you are back at your childhood home, or under the burning ...

It’s clear that genes, receptors and neurons all play a role in detecting odors. But much of how we make sense of what we sniff remains mysterious. A neuroscientist explains. By Daniela Hirschfeld / ...

Once a scent is detected, different areas of the brain are activated. A team has recently discovered that structures of the olfactory sense work closely together with the brain's reward and aversion ...

One of the many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the world by surprise is the vast swathes of people who lost their sense of smell. For most people who get COVID-19, the loss of smell ...

Human hippocampal connectivity is more robust in olfaction than other sensory systems. The primary olfactory cortex in humans evolved without re-routing functional connectivity between the brain's ...

Our sense of smell has a powerful effect on our behavior and emotions. Aromas can evoke vivid memories of the past or warn us of a smoldering fire. Yet to neuroscientists, smell remains the most ...