What happens when we smell

In post no.1 we looked at how our perception of the food and drink we enjoy is a combination of smell, taste, sight, sound and touch - as well as memory and emotions. Let’s look at what areas of the brain are involved:

The 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 is the part of the brain involved on our behavioral and emotional responses, and it is composed of four parts: the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus and the thalamus. We’ll focus on the first two as they intricately shape our perception of flavour.

The 𝘢𝘮𝘺𝘨𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘢 plays a pivotal role by associating tastes with a spectrum of emotions, from joy to aversion. Simultaneously, the 𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘴, integrates flavour sensations into our broader memory bank, enhancing our ability to recognize and appreciate specific tastes.

This emotional and mnemonic interplay within the limbic system forms a foundational layer of our flavor perception, influencing both our preferences and the depth of our gastronomic experiences.

The 𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘹 (OFC) located at the base of the front lobes, is the most responsible area for decoding and representing a variety of stimuli and information from other parts of the brain.

It integrates taste and smell with other senses, forming a cohesive perception of flavour. In tandem, the OFC assigns hedonic value to different tastes, shaping our preferences and reinforcing the pleasure derived from positive flavour encounters.

Together, the limbic system and the OFC, in collaboration with other sensory processing centers, create a dynamic framework where emotions, memories, and a multitude of sensory inputs are seamlessly woven into our sensory analysis of taste, transforming each culinary encounter into a nuanced and memorable journey.

In future posts we will explore in depth how memory, emotions, sounds, sight and touch, affect our perception and enjoyment of flavour.