The structure in front of the brain that receives information about smells from the nose and sends signals to the temporal lobe is:

• A. Olfactory bulbs & tracts
• B. Occipital lobes
• C. Cerebellum
• D. Brain stem

Answer: (A)

The path for smelling starts with receptors in the nasal cavity sending signals to the olfactory bulbs, which sit just under the front part of the brain. The bulbs are the first stop that processes odor information, and from there the signals travel along the olfactory tracts to the temporal lobe, where smell is interpreted. That is why the structure in front of the brain that receives information about smells from the nose and sends signals to the temporal lobe is the olfactory bulbs and tracts.

Occipital lobes process vision, not smell. The cerebellum governs movement and balance, not olfactory processing. The brain stem handles basic life-sustaining functions and general relay of information, but not the odor-specific pathway to the temporal lobe.