Final answer:
The thalamus serves as the relay center for all sensory impulses, except for smell, routing them to the appropriate areas in the cortex.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relay center for all sensory impulses, except for the sense of smell, is located in a specific part of the brain known as the thalamus. The thalamus functions as a critical clearinghouse and relay station for sensory and motor signals. Once a sensory signal is processed by the thalamus, it is then transmitted to the corresponding area of the cortex dedicated to processing that specific sensory input. This is distinct from the olfactory system, where signals are sent directly to the olfactory bulb and then to various brain regions, including the olfactory cortex and the limbic system without first passing through the thalamus.