The olfactory bulb is primarily responsible for which sense?

The olfactory bulb plays a crucial role in the sense of smell. It is a structure located in the brain that processes information about odors detected by sensory cells in the nasal cavity. When odor molecules bind to olfactory receptors in the nose, they send signals to the olfactory bulb, which then transmits this sensory information to other parts of the brain for further processing. This makes the olfactory bulb essential for the ability to perceive and differentiate various smells.

In this context, the other senses represented by the options, such as taste, touch, and sound, are processed by different structures and pathways in the body. Taste involves the gustatory system, touch relies on somatosensory pathways, and sound is processed by the auditory system. Therefore, the olfactory bulb's specific association with smell distinguishes it as the correct answer.