All sensory systems are interconnected at some level. How much and how important are relative questions.
Olfaction has strong connections to the pituitary gland via the amygdala. Odor has connections to reproduction and emotional experiences. Females have a preference for males who smell differently and who eat different foods. That preference may have an opponent process bases. As a general rule these differences mean that females choose males who are the most genetically different from the females when those differences are related to immulogical differences. Hybrid vigor may be the goal. It is possible that olfaction reciprocal integration or eigenfunction interference causes a strong release of pleasure chemicals. This would explain romantic love or love addiction. Dr. Scoles spatial location model for the thalamus, I believe has some merit. The thalamus probably functions as if it were an imaging or consolidation area for multiple systems which would have spatial properties. I use the final output to a TV monitor to illustrate this function. This does not mean the thalamus is the observer of behavior or that there is any area in the brain that watches this global integration. I believe this is occuring through quantum mechanical calculations resulting in a one/many dichotomy or duality. Ron Blue http://www.enter.net/~ronblue > Good question! All of the other systems provide information on spatial > location. Olfaction doesn't do this unless combined with information from > other systems. I don't know if this has anything to do with the role of the > thalamus, but it sounds good. > > ************************************************* > Michael T. Scoles, Ph.D. > Director, Arkansas Charter School Resource Center > Associate Professor of Psychology & Counseling > University of Central Arkansas > Conway, AR 72035 > voice: (501) 450-5418 > fax: (501) 450-5424 > ************************************************* > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: sylvestm [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 12:11 PM > >To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > >Subject: student's question > > > > > > why is the sense of smell the only one that bypasses the thalamus? > > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
