Final answer:
Olfactory sensory neurons project to the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex, bypassing the thalamus, which is the usual sensory relay station for other senses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The olfactory sensory neurons project to several brain regions after detecting odors. These regions include the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex, but they also extend to the brain's emotional and memory centers. Signals from the olfactory sensory neurons travel to the olfactory bulb, which contains neural clusters known as glomeruli that process different odorants. From the olfactory bulb, the signals then reach the olfactory cortex. Unlike other sensory pathways, olfactory signals do not go through the thalamus first before reaching the cortex. Instead, they have a direct route to the olfactory cortex and subsequent areas like the amygdala, which is involved in emotional responses, and the hippocampus, which is important for memory. To answer the student's question, the correct answer regarding the regions to which olfactory sensory neurons project is (d) olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex.