Description
The olfactory system is in my opinion one of the prettiest, most interesting, and downright coolest structures in the brain. It’s sophisticated construction consists of only around 400 different types of olfactory receptors that can combine their graded signals to allow us to discriminate millions, or even billions, of distinct odors.
Olfactory sensory neurons located in the olfactory epithelium (bipolar type cells with the large cell bodies on the gold background at the bottom of the painting) extend their dendrites into the nasal cavity. Their sensory receptors interact with and respond to the ever changing molecular stew that is the atmosphere we are constantly breathing in and out. Each sensory neuron preferentially interacts with a particular molecular shape or motif, allowing it to differentially and partially respond to a huge number of molecules rather than just one specific type.
These sensory neurons thread their axons up through perforations in the bony sinuses (blocky type structures in a semicircle 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom) where they synapse in many combinations onto the olfactory glomeruli (pink, white and blue circular structures). Here, the ever changing incoming signals from the olfactory sensory neurons are combinatorially computed and integrated by the periglomerular, external tufted, and astrocytic cells of the glomeruli.
The pyramidal shaped mitral cells (black) pick up these integrated signals and convey their outputs along their axons which traverse the center of the olfactory bulb (field of black lines through the bluish green region) en route toward their downstream connections in brain. Unlike other sensory systems that first make connections in the thalamus, olfactory signals synapse directly into olfactory and entorhinal corticies and even into the amygdala, giving olfaction unique access to the limbic system. These direct connections into emotional and mnemonic centers gives our sense of smell particularly deep access into our subconscious, and is the reason why you would still instantly recognize the exact odor of your grandmother’s basement you smelled when you were 3.
Please note that the www.gregadunn.com watermark does not appear on the print itself and is only for web distribution of this image.
- Printed on satin paper of archival quality.
- As there is a limited supply, prints will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
- The sooner your payment is received, the lower the print # you will get.
- Orders originating from PA will have 8% sales tax added. PayPal takes care of all of these numbers. Again if you have questions, please email me.
- Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery of unframed orders (orders from the USA), 4-8 weeks for delivery of domestic framed orders, and 4-6 weeks for international unframed orders.
- Prints are stamped and numbered in gold leaf.
- 20% OFF Graduate student discounts are available. Please email for instructions on how to purchase grad.discount(at)gregadunn.com
