"Brain's Spatial Recording: Coffee Aroma Experienced in Stereo"

New research shows that the brain encodes the nostril through which an odor enters, suggesting that integrating information from both nostrils helps identify the scent. The study found that the piriform cortex, a region responsible for processing scents, reacts independently to smells in each nostril. When scents were delivered to a single nostril, the corresponding side of the brain reacted first, followed by the opposite side. When scents were delivered to both nostrils simultaneously, both sides of the brain recognized the scent faster. This suggests that the brain makes use of the different arrival times of scents. The findings provide insight into how the brain processes olfactory information and may contribute to our ability to accurately identify odor sources.