Page 43 - (DK) How to be a GENIUS?

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Scent signals
m
The human sense of smell is poor compa red to that of many animals,
ur sense of taste, enabling you
but it is much more refined t th than you
to detect thousands of s scents. Scent molecules are carried in
the air, and when yo the in, they are detected by two
ou breat
patches of recep ls located high up in your nasal
ptor cell
cavity. Nerve fi rom these cells pass through the
fibers fr
skull to the olfactor ry bulb, where more nerve cells
he coded
transfer th d scent signals to the brain.
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h
We all have our
v
l
a
r
e
o
w
u
n
own unique smelll
n
m
u
q
el
s
i
el
d
i
y
Th
t
Th
i identity. This is
.
n
s
e
t
i
s
i
n
b
i
rm
fa
ct
e
fa
cto
rs
rs
d
to
er
t
y
erm
ed
d
determined by factors
et
e
i
d
et
t,
et
s,
such as genes, diet,
es
es
s u c h a s g e n es , diet,
such as genes
e.
and skin type.
a n d s k i n t y p e
tinctive reaction
Inst actory bulb is part of the limbic system at
The olf of the brain stem. The limbic system is an
the top the brain that plays an important role in
area of
memory y and emotion. This explains why scents
ger powerful emotions and awaken dormant
m
ca an trigg s. Scent information also passes to the cortex
emories
me n to be analyzed consciously, but this takes
of t the brai than the instinctive reaction.
a lot longer
Thalamus Receives taste
a
signals from the medulla
s
and sends them to the cort ex
Medulla Receives taste
signals and relays them
a
to the thalamus
Brain stem
n
Professional senses
Some people earn a living by their noses.
They include the makers of perfumes and,
not so obviously, wine tasters and tea
blenders. The blenders of fine teas, for
example, m
may “taste” the teas, but their
taste buds can barely identify them.
heir refined sense of smell
y
They use th
to decide w
which combinations have
the best fla
avor.
41
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