The Intriguing Independence of Our Nostrils: Smelling in Stereo
In a manner similar to how 3D movies work with stylish glasses, recent research suggests that our sense of smell may operate independently in each nostril, providing a unique perspective on how our brain processes scents.
The study, which involved ten epilepsy patients, aimed to understand how information from each nostril is processed in the human olfactory system. What they discovered was intriguing – the same smell triggered slightly different brain activity from each nostril, indicating a potential disparity in how we perceive smells from each side.
Furthermore, when participants used both nostrils to smell, the researchers observed two distinct bursts of brain activity with a small delay between them, implying that one nostril might transmit signals slightly ahead of the other.
These findings are significant as they shed light on the advantages of having two nostrils, similar to the advantages of having two eyes and ears. It is known that having two nostrils improves our ability to identify odors quickly. Perhaps this slight information delay and the nostril-specific difference in brain activity contribute to this acceleration.
In the past, studies have shown that rats can “smell in stereo,” aiding them in pinpointing the source of a smell accurately. This research explores whether humans might share this ability.
Overall, the study opens new avenues for understanding how our brains navigate and make sense of the intricate information collected from our environment. The findings have been published in Current Biology and are accessible here: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)01379-9.
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