Sense of Smell

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About The Book The sense of smell is one of the most primitive yet mysterious senses. Little do we realise how bland and monotonous the world would be without our ability to inhale and 'feel' the smells around us. The book de- scribes the manner in which this sensory system func- tions generating attractive or repulsive responses across species, besides explaining the role of pheromones and aromatherapy, olfactory memory and disorders of the sense of smell.

About the Author Sarada Bulchand graduated in life sciences from st. Xavier's College, Bombay. Her deep interest in science prompted her to join the Tata Institute of Fundamental Reasearch in Bombay, where she is currently doing her Masters in Molecular Biology at the Department of Biological Sciences.

Foreword Smell is, in a sense, the Cinderella among our senses. We prize sight, hearing and touch. It is only when we lose the sense of smell and, find, as one of the consequences, that our very food has lost its taste that we realise its value. One reason, of course, is that mankind has a relatively atro- phied ability to distinguish scents and stenches. Other living beings are blessed with considerably sharper percep- tion that is invaluable for survival. Using the sense of smell, they distinguish friend from foe, family from strangers. Food is identified from a distance, giving the individual or the pack, opportunities for appropriating it. Strong odours are used as protection, the skunk gaining notoriety as a consequence. We use 'sniffer dogs' to detect survivors from catastrophic events, such as earthquakes as well as to identify anti-social elements peddling narcotics. The mat- ing game even in humans-is heavily dependent on the recognition of scents.

Not all of us are destined to vocations such as tea- tasting or blending perfumes. Even so, each one of us can benefit from an understanding of the ability that provides important cues that influence our behaviour.

We have, hitherto, lacked easily available information on this neglected sense. Ms Sarada Bulchand has filled this need. In a compact volume packed with information, she brings us up to date with the scientific aspects of our ability to perceive fragrances that please and odours that warn. She traces the development of the apparatus for smell- ing-the olfactory system-from the relatively primitive beings to man. She describes the mechanisms involved in the recognition of a particular odour or complex of odours from the time these reach the inner lining of the nose to the stage where they reach the special areas within the brain, where the perception is blended with the memories of stored smells. She explains the complex interactions that allow us not only to recognise the source of the smells but also to react to them, relive occasions from the recent or distant past evoked by the scent and experience a wide variety of emotions.

The National Book Trust has done well to enrol this young scientist to elucidate the mysteries of olfaction.

Preface I was asked to write this book when I was new to the field of science and the world of scientists. I had barely begun my life as a student at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). However, it was a privilege to be so asked and I therefore decided to take on this challenge, writing about one of our most primitive and often ignored senses, not knowing how tough a task I had taken on. It opened up my mind or should I say nose-to the pleasant and not-so-pleasant smells around me. My nose began to notice things that it didn't really care about before.

Imagine living in a coastal town and not being able to smell the sea breeze or living in the mountains and not being able to inhale that refreshing mountain air or the smell of eucalyptus and pine trees. What about the glorious smell of wet earth after the first rains? Ever wondered why our mouth waters when something delicious is being cooked? Or why our eyes water when onions are being chopped? Or why we sneeze when some chilli powder tickles our nose? Does an open drain or garbage dumpcause you to hold your breath?

Well, the answers to the above questions lie in our sense of smell.

It is not surprising that neurobiologists are interested in how the brain perceives such information and how the brain analyses these different smells and identifies an odour. The olfactory code is far from being understood though scientists the world over are steadily uncovering the secrets of this system.

Introduction Our sense of smell is something that many of us take for granted, because it doesn't seem to be necessary for our survival the way our other senses are. We tend to under- estimate the importance of smell to our well being. How- ever, odours do indeed have an effect on our daily lives.

Imagine what it would be like if you couldn't smell the flowers in the spring or a brand new book. Imagine not being able to smell the wet earth after the first rains. The sense of smell adds a richness to our lives that we aren't always conscious of, but as soon as it is taken away it dramatically changes our quality of life.

The sense of smell is evolutionarily the most primitive of the senses though in many ways it remains the most mysterious. The perception of odours in humans is often viewed as an aesthetic sense: one that is capable of evoking emotion and memory, leading to measured thoughts and behaviours. We hardly ever perceive odours in a purely neutral fashion. They are almost always coupled with attractive or repellent feelings. Smell, however, is also a primal sense, and it can bring about innate and stereo- typed behaviours likely to result from the non-conscious perception. However, in humans, smell apparently plays a small role in the sensory world, far less a role than in a dog or a cat for example.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages