Question
Some processes involved in sensory reception and perception. 1. The brain interprets the odour 2. Odourant chemicals bind to chemoreceptors in the nose 3. Sensory input bypasses the thalamus 4. Impulse is transferred I to the olfactory bulb
Solution
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Kaylani
Master ยท Tutor for 5 years
Answer
The correct order of the processes involved in olfactory (smell) reception and perception is:1. **Odourant chemicals bind to chemoreceptors in the nose:** This is the first step. The odorant molecules interact with specific receptor proteins located on the cilia of olfactory receptor neurons within the nasal cavity.2. **Impulse is transferred to the olfactory bulb:** The binding of odorants triggers a signal transduction cascade within the olfactory receptor neurons, generating nerve impulses. These impulses travel along the axons of the olfactory neurons, which form the olfactory nerve, directly to the olfactory bulb in the brain.3. **The brain interprets the odour:** The olfactory bulb processes the incoming signals and relays the information to higher brain centers, including the olfactory cortex, where the odor is perceived and interpreted. This allows us to recognize and distinguish between different smells.4. **Sensory input bypasses the thalamus:** This is a key characteristic of the olfactory system. Unlike other sensory modalities (like vision, hearing, and touch), olfactory information does *not* pass through the thalamus before reaching the cortex. This direct pathway to the cortex is thought to contribute to the strong emotional and memory-evoking properties of smell.