Chemical Senses

Smells connection to emotion was also discussed, it turned out to be molecules with receptor signals capable of triggering memory through the olfactory part of our brain and the hippocampus, the site of memory

The human brain contains specific neurochemical systems that create feelings in us. Over many studies, scientists

Senses airborne chemical molecules • Related to memories & emotions • Consists of 10 million rods embedded in the olfactory epithelium – responding to different chemicals

Although an individual glomerulus may be activated by several odors, the relative levels of activation of several glomeruli differ between odorants. As the concentration of the odorant increases, more glomeruli are recruited to respond; however, the relative pattern of activation is usually maintained for each odorant. Dr. Wachowiak also showed that there is a topographical map in the olfactory bulb such that odorants belonging to a certain class of molecules tend to activate glomeruli in the same area of the bulb, and this map is consistent across animals. Thus, it is possible to study the response to many odor molecules in a large number of animals and collapse the data across subjects to obtain more statistical power. In conclusion, this is an interesting technique that can be used to understand the detailed mechanisms of first-order olfactory perception in live animals. Dr. Wachowiak hopes to continue this research by conducting psychophysical experiments to determine how well the mice discriminate between odors, using genetically encoded probes of neural activity to selectively image certain populations of glomeruli, and studying further steps of processing within the

Often, we do not realize just how important our taste and smell senses are to every day life. We go about our day and do the normal human thing. We sleep, eat, shower, get dressed, go to school, work, etc. What if our sense of taste and smell were taken away? How would it change these every day routines? If there were a house fire while we were sleeping and we could not smell the smoke, what would happen? What if we could not taste or smell the food we were eating? What if we could not smell if our bodies were clean when we showered? As a nurse, what if I could not smell a foul odor in regards to urine or

Southerners are known to be proud of their traditional beliefs. To Kill A Mockingbird allows its readers to question and consider those beliefs. Maycomb represents a typical old southern town. Not many people move into Maycomb and not many people who live there journey beyond its boundaries. As a result, the opinions held by many of the citizens of Maycomb are left to grow and foster in the same families for many generations. The circumstances in Maycomb are less than ideal for generating change and more prone to sustaining traditionally accepted codes. Two codes embedded within southern social beliefs are class and race.

Why is it that we tend to remember the thrill of a rollercoaster ride we took at age eight, but fail to remember what we ate for breakfast yesterday morning? Why do we remember falling off our bike and scraping our leg, but not what we got on a fifth grade test? It is safe to say that emotionally significant experiences have a certain salience and are likely remembered more often than not. Differentiating what information we will hold on to and what information we will discard, appears to relate to the emotional impact of a memory or event. Moreover, adrenergic activation appears necessary in order to recall certain information or events. In fact, remembering emotionally arousing material involves noradrenergic activation during or soon

This part of the brain is called the limbic system, nicknamed the, “emotional brain.” The hippocampus controls learning and memory while the amygdala controls emotion. When you smell something for the first time, your brain actually links they smell to what you’re doing at that moment to help you remember the smell. You smell through the olfactory and the smell is connected to a memory through the hippocampus. After that, the brain then links the smell to the emotion you’re feeling at that exact moment through the amygdala (Dowdy 2).

The distinction between conscious and unconscious memory suggests - and it is generally accepted - that emotional memory involves two brain systems. While conscious memory is mediated by the hippocampus, the amygdala is implicated in emotional memory (1). A small collection of nuclei in the center of each temporal lobe, the amygdala controls the fear response, receiving and integrating sensory input to determine the level of threat. If the input is sufficiently intense to initiate an action potential, the amygdala triggers other areas of the brain that induce the physiological response that humans interpret as fear (3); the danger has been "recognized."

Smell, on the other hand, is the sense that comes from odor molecules attaching to the olfactory nerve. Air carries the odor into the nose. Then odor contacts the olfactory nerves at the top of the nasal passages. The the olfactory nerves send a signal to the olfactory bulb of the brain, and the nerve sends a signal to the front of the brain. The forebrain translates the signals of the odor into a specific smell (Swindle, Mark).

The smell receptors interact with the molecules of these vapors and transmit sensations to the brain. We need only a little amount of molecules of substance to trigger an impulse of smell in a nerve end, and we can smell more than ten thousand different scents. If it is a new scent it is possible to remember the scent and identify it again later. The scent captures one’s memory of the place; the nose makes the eyes remember. For the blind people, the sense of smell can help awareness of one’s location. Odour can also relate to hunger and the desire to consume. Since it is not possible to name all the odours, spatial qualities or experiences are often associated with scents. Positive experiences of smell can be used in design to induce positive memories or associations to a space, while negative smells can do the opposite. Bringing certain smells into a designed space can immediately stimulate emotions, guide us, or distract us. Designer Valerie Trent cites research that connects smell and memory; “People can often recall aromas from childhood or a distinctive odor they’ve only smelled once. Whatever your particular nose prefers, smells do enhance comfort and

Two structures in the brain work independently and with each other to impact memory and emotions: the amygdala and the hippocampus. The amygdala is linked to fear-conditioning, while the hippocampus is linked to episodic memories, which are those memories that a person can recall whenever wanted [1]. An experiment was performed to demonstrate the independence of the two structures from each other which involved patients with lesions in the amygdala and patients with lesions in the hippocampus. Researchers designed a fear-condition wherein a blue patch applied to the wrist initiated a shock. They found that patients with lesions in the amygdala had no physiological response to the conditioned stimulus (the blue patch) [2], whereas patients with lesions in the hippocampus demonstrated appropriate

A recent analysis was released based on 13 southern states where suspensions and expulsion rates are overwhelmingly higher for black students than they are of white students. The director of the Council of state Governments Justice Center, a nonprofit policy group, stated that “blacks are more likely to be expelled in situations where teachers or school leaders have discretion on deterring how to resound to behavior, such as when a student is deemed disrespectful or defiant or violates a dress code.” Educators are prepared for educating students but are not prepared to deal with personalities that they don’t understand. “People are doing their jobs or living their lives, and do not understand themselves as agents of oppression.”(Young pg.42) Studies have shown that students who are expelled or suspended are more likely to get into trouble and end up with criminal backgrounds, than students who are not removed from school. (New York Times)