How does Sense of Smell Work?
According to the book Molecular Biology of the Cell:
Humans can distinguish more than 10,000 different smells (odorants), which are detected by specialized olfactory receptor neurons lining the nose.... It is thought that there are hundreds of different olfactory receptors, each encoded by a different gene and each recognizing different odourants.
Odor molecules pass through the nasal passages to two tiny patches located behind the bridge of the nose. These patches are made up of millions of special olfactory or smelling sensors. The odour molecules dissolve in moisture and bind to tiny nerve hairs on the cells. Recent research has found that every cell is equipped with as many as a thousand different receptors, each designed to respond to a small group of different odours. These send messages about the odor to the limbic system, the part of the brain that governs moods and certain emotional responses.
While the limbic system is largely devoted to smell, it also influences our hormonal, metabolic and stress responses and is the emotional centre for sexual desire, rage, fear and joy. That’s why fragrance is such an emotional experience.
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