Final answer:
Olfactory information is received in the brain by the olfactory bulb, with signals processed by glomeruli, and then sent to the olfactory cortex, frontal cortex, thalamus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and memory-related areas within the temporal lobe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The brain areas known to receive olfactory information include the olfactory bulb, which is where olfactory neurons project signals through unmyelinated axons from the olfactory epithelium. This olfactory data is then processed by distinct clusters known as glomeruli within the olfactory bulb. Each glomerulus caters to signals from olfactory receptors specific to certain odorants. From the olfactory bulb, olfactory signals are directly transmitted to multiple regions such as the olfactory cortex, the frontal cortex, and the thalamus. In contrast to other sensory information, which typically travels via the thalamus before reaching the cortex, olfactory information directly reaches its destination without this waypoint. Additionally, olfactory signals are sent to the amygdala, thus influencing emotional responses and the hypothalamus, which is involved in reproductive behaviors and physiology. Lastly, a cortical center in the temporal lobe, crucial for memory types like spatial, autobiographical, declarative, and episodic memories, also receives olfactory information directly. As a result, our sense of smell is intricately linked with memory and emotion, and can be a potent trigger for both.