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Free Content The Olfactory System: Part III: Central Processing of Olfaction and Central Olfactory Dysfunction

Parts I and II of this review discussed the detection of odor molecules within the primary olfactory mucosa of the nose, the transfer of the odorant data to the olfactory bulb, and the initial processing of the olfactory data within the bulb. Part III now extends that discussion inward and addresses the central processing of olfactory data by the primary olfactory cortex and further processing by secondary olfactory cortices and related portions of the brain. It then addresses the intriguing links among olfactory dysfunction, sleep disturbance, dementias, and psychoses.

Learning Objective: This review is intended to help the reader: 1) to become familiar with the olfactory structures of the brain, 2) to understand how the brain transforms the physicochemical signature of an odorant molecule and/or mixture into the unified perception of an “odor object” that is imbued with salience, valence, and memory associations, and 3) to become aware of the intriguing links among olfactory dysfunction, sleep disturbance, dementias, and psychoses.
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