Senses

The Senses: Vision

All of our senses give us vital information about our surroundings, but the one we rely on most is vision. Accordingly, the physical apparatus for gathering visual information—the eye—and the brain circuits that process this information are more complex than corresponding systems for the other senses.

The Senses: Smell and Taste

Smell and taste are the oldest of the senses. They are essential for survival, having evolved to play key roles in such basic processes as feeding, mating, and avoiding danger.

The Senses: The Somatosensory System

What we refer to as “touch,” the "fifth sense," is really shorthand for a group of senses.

Senses: The Somatosensory System

How our Brains Respond to Texture

New research shows that rich neural activity is responsible for the myriad textures we sense every day.

A Link Between Sense of Smell and Spatial Memory

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, it disrupts both navigation and olfaction; scientists are starting to tease out why, which might help them find an early-indicator test for people at risk.

Behind the Taste of Bitter and Sweet

A new study describes two brain circuits for each flavor: one that identifies it and another that signals if it's delightful or repellent.

Olfaction: Smell of Change in the Air

Scientists studying smell have not only provided compelling evidence that it’s more sophisticated than previously thought, but believe that the sense of smell impacts our mood and behavior and has the potential to detect and treat some neurological disorders.

A Bird’s Eye View of Sensory Perception

Q&A with Carl Petersen ahead of his European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB) / Max Cowan Special Lecture at the FENS Forum of Neuroscience in Copenhagen

Studying Blind People Leads to New Insights in Human Brain Specialization

Their ability to use brain real estate slotted for vision for touch perception suggests that sense areas could be driven by task, not the type of sense.