Quick Facts
Origin: Olfactory bulb.
Course: Runs posteriorly from the olfactory bulb to the anterior perforated substance on the inferior surface of the cerebral cortex.
Branches: Olfactory striae.
Supply: Conveys the sense of smell.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The olfactory tract originates at the posterior margin of the olfactory bulbs.
Course
The olfactory tract runs parallel to and on either side of the midline on the inferior surface of the brain. The tract runs posteriorly to the anterior perforated substance where it bifurcates and penetrates the brain as the olfactory striae.
Branches
The olfactory tract bifurcates to give rise to the olfactory striae. Typically, there is a medial stria and a lateral stria.
Supplied Structures
The olfactory tract conveys sensory information. It supplies the sense of olfaction to the brain, specifically the primary olfactory cortex which is located in the uncus, and entorhinal cortex of the temporal lobe. Additionally, axons that form the olfactory tract will target the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system.
List of Clinical Correlates
- Anosmia
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Olfactory Tract
The bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT) is a key terminal nucleus of the accessory olfactory pathway, located immediately caudal to the LOT, along the ventromedial surface of the amygdala.
