Summary
The present anatomical findings point to the existence of a separate subdivision of the olfactory system whose connections are quite different from the principal part. The main olfactory bulb has olfactory afferents from the receptors of the general olfactory mucosa, while the accessory bulb has afferents from receptors in the vomeronasal organ. The main bulb projects to the olfactory tubercle and pyriform cortex, while the accessory bulb projects to the amygdala. In turn these areas are further related with the medial forebrain bundle in the case of the pyriform cortex and olfactory tubercle, and with the medial preoptic area and medial hypothalamus in the case of the amygdala. The main and accessory olfactory bulbs are further distinguished by their centrifugal connections, the main bulb receiving fibres from the olfactory tubercle passing through the lateral olfactory tract, and the accessory olfactory bulb receiving fibres from the amygdala through the stria terminalis. The centrifugals to the accessory olfactory bulb resemble those to the main bulb in that both appear to terminate upon granule cells, although further projections to the external plexiform layer or to the periglomerular region have not been demonstrated for the accessory bulb. By virtue of its neural connections the accessory olfactory system is ideally placed to mediate the effects of olfactory stimuli on reproduction.
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Raisman, G. An experimental study of the projection of the amygdala to the accessory olfactory bulb and its relationship to the concept of a dual olfactory system. Exp Brain Res 14, 395–408 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235035
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235035