What structure collects and processes smell information before sending it to other parts of the brain?

The olfactory bulb is the structure that specifically collects and processes information related to smell. It is located at the base of the brain and acts as a relay station. When odor molecules are detected by olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity, signals are transmitted to the olfactory bulb, where the information is initially processed. The olfactory bulb then sends this processed information to various areas of the brain, including the olfactory cortex and other regions responsible for memory and emotional responses, allowing for the perception of different smells.

The other structures listed have different roles; for example, the hippocampus is primarily involved in memory formation and spatial navigation, while the amygdala plays a critical role in processing emotions, particularly fear and pleasure, but not specifically in smell processing. The thalamus serves as a relay station for most sensory information before it reaches the cerebral cortex, but the olfactory system is uniquely structured to transmit signals directly from the olfactory bulb to higher brain centers, bypassing the thalamus.