THE SENSE OF SMELL
Smell is the most direct of all the senses. It is thought to be the oldest sense in terms of human evolution, which may explain why smell is hard-wired into the brain. The olfactory nerve, which manages the perception of smells, is essentially an extension of the brain. The olfactory nerve provides a direct link from receptors at the top of the nose to the portion of the brain that controls memory, emotion, and behavior.
The olfactory system detects certain airborne chemicals that enter the nose and then transmits this chemical information to the limbic system in the brain. The olfactory region at the upper end of each nostril is yellow, moist, and full of fatty substances. The shade of yellow indicates the strength of the sense of smell: the deeper the shade, the keener and more acute it is. Animals have a very strong sense of smell, so their olfactory regions are dark yellow to reddish brown, while those of humans are light yellow.
When an odorous substance enters the nose, it binds to olfactory receptor cells, the neurons lining the yellow upper portion of the nasal cavity. Olfactory receptor cells contain microscopic hairs called cilia that extend into the layer of mucus coating the inside of the nose. Odor molecules diffuse into this region and are absorbed by the cilia of the olfactory receptor cells. What this means is that when we hold a rose to our nose and inhale, odor molecules float up into the nasal cavity, where they are absorbed by five million olfactory receptor cells. The receptor cells alert the olfactory nerve, which sends impulses to the brain’s olfactory bulb, or smell center. Thus, olfactory information about the rose enters the brain’s limbic system, where, in most of us, it stimulates a feeling of pleasure.
The limbic system of the brain integrates memory, emotion, and behavior. The system is composed of a group of related nervous system structures that are the functional center of emotions such as anger, fear, pleasure, and sadness. (1) The components of the limbic system are linked to the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain involved in complex learning, reasoning, and personality. (2) The cerebral cortex makes decisions about the emotional content of these unique human qualities after “consulting” the limbic system and other brain centers in processing and retrieving memories. (3) It may, in turn, use memories to modify behavior. (4)
Scent may be the strongest trigger of memory and emotions. When we inhale a scent, receptors in the brain’s limbic center compare the odor entering our nose to odors stored in our memory. Along the way, memories associated with those odors are stimulated. A smell can be overwhelmingly nostalgic because it triggers powerful images and emotions. The waxy fragrance of crayons can instantly transport us to our second-grade classroom, or the scent of freshly mown grass can flood us with the joy of summer freedom. What we see and hear may ’fade quickly in short-term memory, but what we smell is sent directly to long-term memory.
Smells can increase alertness and stimulate learning and retention. In one study, children memorized a word list, which was presented both with and without accompanying scents. The children recalled words on the list more easily and with higher accuracy when the list was given with scents than without, showing the link between smell and the ability to retain information. In another study, researchers examined how various smells can increase alertness and decrease stress. They found that the scent of lavender could wake up the metabolism and make people more alert. They also found that the smell of spiced apples could reduce blood pressure and avert a panic attack in people under stress.
Glossary:
- nostalgic: causing a desire for things, persons, or situations of the past; causing homesickness
- retention: the act of retaining; keeping, holding, or maintaining