Interestingly,olfactory information is processed seperately from other sensory input

[dr.syntax]

All sensory input to the brain,except the sense of smell connects to the thalamus for preliminary processing. See http://www.changingstates.co.uk/brain_function.html for further information regarding that. The sense of smell alone has it`s own special organ called the olfactory bulb. This organ is further divided and has two seperate pathways on to other portions of the brain. One of these pathways,the accessory olfactory bulb, leads to the hypothalamus and the amygdala where the axons are thought to influence aggressive and mating behavior. For more on this go to http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Olfactory_bulb#encyclopedia. I find it very intriguing that this one sense`s input is processed so very differently by our brains and the brains of so many other organisms. I believe it is the primary or only way many vertabrates have of locating each other for sexual reproduction. Well, whatever, Dr.Syntax

Edited September 12, 2009 by dr.syntax
wording addition, small edit,small addition

[bascule]

Indeed, olfaction is a function of the lymbic system, which is one of the "oldest" parts of the brain in that it evolved the earliest.

[Mr Skeptic]

I would guess the same would be true of taste.

 

Is this why smells and tastes are so much harder to describe than sounds, touch, vision? Or is it because these have less components to them?

[dr.syntax]

I would guess the same would be true of taste.

 

Is this why smells and tastes are so much harder to describe than sounds, touch, vision? Or is it because these have less components to them?

 

I finally found a site that is not overly complex and that I can link to. Link to: From tounge to nose to brain : http://www.Tastescience.com/abouttaste2.html

Edited September 14, 2009 by dr.syntax
helpful additions

[GDG]

I would guess the same would be true of taste.

 

Is this why smells and tastes are so much harder to describe than sounds, touch, vision? Or is it because these have less components to them?

 

I think smells and tastes are harder to describe because (a) they tend to be more complex, and (b) we don't get nearly as much practice.

 

Since you spend all day hearing language and music, and have to distinguish very similar sounds to extract meaning, you develop the ability to a much greater extent. If your job involved formulating perfumes or foods, or e.g. buying wines for an expensive restaurant, your ability to discriminate flavors and odors would probably increase accordingly.