Olfactory system

The olfactory system or sense of smell is the sensory system used for smelling (olfaction). Olfaction is one of the special senses, that have directly associated specific organs. Most mammals and reptiles have a main olfactory system and an accessory olfactory system. The main olfactory system detects airborne substances, while the accessory system senses fluid-phase stimuli.

This article is about the olfactory system in vertebrates, particularly humans. For the sense of smell in other lifeforms, see Olfaction. For machines, see Machine olfaction.
Olfactory system
Components of the olfactory system
Identifiers
FMA7190
Anatomical terminology

The senses of smell and taste (gustatory system) are often referred to together as the chemosensory system, because they both give the brain information about the chemical composition of objects through a process called transduction.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.