Question: How do we relate things to cetain smells?

Martin Coath answered on 24 Mar 2010:

Hi there

The short answer is “we don’t know exactly how” because this is a neuroscience question and almost nothing about the way in which the brain works is that well understood!

The sense of smell is amazing in so many ways. Our brain handles smells in ways that are different to sound and sight.

I have to leave work now but I will edit this answer when I get home to give you some details, and partly answer your question.

OK I am back – what I was going to say is that the “wiring” for sight and sound in your brain are sort of similar (I don’t want to get in to too much trouble by saying they are the same!) but the wiring for smell is quite different – it is closely associated with memory, recognition, and emotion in a way that the other two are not. So it is VERY powerful.

Also if your eyes and ears are damaged at a cellular level they do not grow back. But smell neurons are dying and growing all the time! If we knew why (and people are getting close) we might be able to grow new nerves for people with spinal injuries for example.

That would be something!