Synonyms
Definition
A structure located in the forebrain of vertebrates that receives neural input about odors detected by cells in the nasal cavity.
Introduction
The environment, if filled with odorant molecules, and our emotions, moods, and behaviors may be controlled by olfactory stimuli. The first steps in processing olfactory signals are transducing and relaying odorant information centrally from olfactory receptor neurons (Purves et al. 2001). Receptor axons combine to form a large number of bundles making up the olfactory nerve. The target of the olfactory nerve on each side is the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is an evaginated cortical structure that lies on the ventral anterior aspect of the ipsilateral forebrain and contains two main types of projection neurons and interneurons that receive primary afferent input from sensory neurons (Greer et al. 2008).
The Architecture of the Olfactory Bulb
The main olfactory bulb has a...
References
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Louca, A.L. (2018). Olfactory Bulb, The. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1016-1
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