Of the five senses, the sense of smell is the most complex and unique in structure and
organization. While human olfaction supplies 80% of flavor sensations during eating, the
olfactory system plays a major role as a defense mechanism by creating an aversion response to
malodors and irritants. This is accomplished with two main nerves. The olfactory nerve (first
cranial nerve) processes the perception of chemical odorants. The trigeminal nerve (fifth cranial
nerve) processes the irritation or pungency of a chemical odorant.
During normal nose breathing only 10% of inhaled air passes up and under the olfactory
receptors in the top, back of the nasal cavity. When a sniffing action is produced, either an
involuntary sniff reflex or a voluntary sniff, more than 20% of inhaled air is carried to the area
near the olfactory receptors due to turbulent action in front of the turbinates. These receptors are
ten to twenty-five million olfactory cells making up the olfactory epithelium. Cilia on the
surface of this epithelium have a receptor contact surface area of approximately five square
centimeters due to the presence of many microvilli on their surface. Supporting cells
surrounding these cilia secrete mucus, which acts as a trap for chemical odorants.
Chemical odorants pass by the olfactory epithelium and are dissolved (transferred) into the
mucus at a rate dependent on their water solubility and other mass transfer factors. The more
water-soluble the chemical, the more easily it is dissolved into the mucus layer. A “matching”
site on the olfactory cells then receives the chemical odorant. The response created by the
reception of a chemical odorant depends on the mass concentration or the number of molecules
present. Each reception creates an electrical response in the olfactory nerves. A summation of
these electrical signals leads to an “action potential.” If this action potential has high enough
amplitude (a threshold potential), then the signal is propagated along the nerve, through the
ethmoidal bone between the nasal cavity and the brain compartment where it synapses with the
olfactory bulb.