Question

The sense of smell takes a more direct neural pathway to emotion and memory centers in the brain than do other senses.

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

True, the sense of smell has a direct neural pathway to emotion and memory centers in the brain.

Step-by-step explanation:

True, the sense of smell does take a more direct neural pathway to emotion and memory centers in the brain compared to other senses. Olfactory neurons project from the olfactory epithelium to the olfactory bulb, and from there, olfactory signals travel directly to the olfactory cortex, the frontal cortex, and the amygdala. Smell is the only sensory modality that does not synapse in the thalamus before connecting to the cerebral cortex. This direct connection between smell and emotional and memory centers explains why certain smells can trigger vivid emotional memories.