QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (61) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Linster, C. Articles by Leon, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Linster, C. Articles by Leon, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, August 15, 2002, 22(16):6842-6845

BRIEF COMMUNICATION
Spontaneous versus Reinforced Olfactory Discriminations

Christiane Linster¹, Brett A. Johnson², Alix Morse¹, Esther Yue¹, and Michael Leon²

¹ Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, and ² Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-4550

When the major response domains in the rat olfactory bulb that are evoked by odorant enantiomers are compared, some of these odorant pairs do not show significantly different activity patterns. Such pairs are not spontaneously discriminated in a behavioral test. We show here that even these similar odorants appear to evoke different activity patterns when every data point in a glomerular activity array is compared. These odorants also can be discriminated if they are subjected to differential reinforcement. These data suggest that the method chosen to assess olfactory discrimination will reveal different olfactory capabilities of rats. The small differences in glomerular activity that probably exist between any pair of odorants may serve as a basis for odor discrimination when rats are differentially reinforced, thereby establishing the remarkable limits of rat olfactory perception. At the same time, the major differences in glomerular responses appear to serve as the normal basis for spontaneous odor discrimination.

Key words: olfactory coding; enantiomers; optical isomers; odor perception; neural representations; habituation; reinforcement learning; olfactory bulb; glomeruli

---

Copyright © 2002 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/02/22166842-04$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Mouret, G. Lepousez, J. Gras, M.-M. Gabellec, and P.-M. Lledo Turnover of Newborn Olfactory Bulb Neurons Optimizes Olfaction J. Neurosci., September 30, 2009; 29(39): 12302 - 12314. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Linster, A. V. Menon, C. Y. Singh, and D. A. Wilson Odor-specific habituation arises from interaction of afferent synaptic adaptation and intrinsic synaptic potentiation in olfactory cortex Learn. Mem., June 24, 2009; 16(7): 452 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Saito, Q. Chi, H. Zhuang, H. Matsunami, and J. D. Mainland Odor Coding by a Mammalian Receptor Repertoire Sci. Signal., March 3, 2009; 2(60): ra9 - ra9. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Chaudhury, O. Escanilla, and C. Linster Bulbar Acetylcholine Enhances Neural and Perceptual Odor Discrimination J. Neurosci., January 7, 2009; 29(1): 52 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. G. Bath, N. Mandairon, D. Jing, R. Rajagopal, R. Kapoor, Z.-Y. Chen, T. Khan, C. C. Proenca, R. Kraemer, T. A. Cleland, et al. Variant Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Val66Met) Alters Adult Olfactory Bulb Neurogenesis and Spontaneous Olfactory Discrimination J. Neurosci., March 5, 2008; 28(10): 2383 - 2393. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. K. Mwilaria, C. Ghatak, and K. C. Daly Disruption of GABAA in the Insect Antennal Lobe Generally Increases Odor Detection and Discrimination Thresholds Chem Senses, March 1, 2008; 33(3): 267 - 281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. McNamara, P. D. Magidson, C. Linster, D. A. Wilson, and T. A. Cleland Distinct neural mechanisms mediate olfactory memory formation at different timescales Learn. Mem., February 22, 2008; 15(3): 117 - 125. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Slotnick Response Accuracy and Odor Sampling Time in Mice Trained to Discriminate between Enantiomers of Carvone and Those of Terpinen-4-ol Chem Senses, September 1, 2007; 32(7): 721 - 725. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Doucette, J. Milder, and D. Restrepo Adrenergic modulation of olfactory bulb circuitry affects odor discrimination Learn. Mem., August 3, 2007; 14(8): 539 - 547. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. A. Cleland, B. A. Johnson, M. Leon, and C. Linster Relational representation in the olfactory system PNAS, February 6, 2007; 104(6): 1953 - 1958. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Slotnick Olfactory Performance of Rats after Selective Deafferentation of the Olfactory Bulb by 3-Methyl Indole Chem Senses, February 1, 2007; 32(2): 173 - 181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Alonso, C. Viollet, M.-M. Gabellec, V. Meas-Yedid, J.-C. Olivo-Marin, and P.-M. Lledo Olfactory Discrimination Learning Increases the Survival of Adult-Born Neurons in the Olfactory Bulb J. Neurosci., October 11, 2006; 26(41): 10508 - 10513. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. McBride and B. Slotnick Discrimination between the Enantiomers of Carvone and of Terpinen-4-ol Odorants in Normal Rats and Those with Lesions of the Olfactory Bulbs J. Neurosci., September 27, 2006; 26(39): 9892 - 9901. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Mandairon, C. Stack, C. Kiselycznyk, and C. Linster Broad activation of the olfactory bulb produces long-lasting changes in odor perception PNAS, September 5, 2006; 103(36): 13543 - 13548. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Joshi, M. Volkl, G. M. Shepherd, and M. Laska Olfactory Sensitivity for Enantiomers and Their Racemic Mixtures--A Comparative Study in CD-1 Mice and Spider Monkeys Chem Senses, September 1, 2006; 31(7): 655 - 664. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Kiselycznyk, S. Zhang, and C. Linster Role of centrifugal projections to the olfactory bulb in olfactory processing Learn. Mem., September 1, 2006; 13(5): 575 - 579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. A. Cleland and C. Linster Computation in the Olfactory System Chem Senses, November 1, 2005; 30(9): 801 - 813. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Wilson, A. R. Best, and R. M. Sullivan Plasticity in the Olfactory System: Lessons for the Neurobiology of Memory Neuroscientist, December 1, 2004; 10(6): 513 - 524. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. E. Reisenman, T. A. Christensen, W. Francke, and J. G. Hildebrand Enantioselectivity of Projection Neurons Innervating Identified Olfactory Glomeruli J. Neurosci., March 17, 2004; 24(11): 2602 - 2611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. A. Wright and B. H. Smith Different Thresholds for Detection and Discrimination of Odors in the Honey bee (Apis mellifera) Chem Senses, February 1, 2004; 29(2): 127 - 135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Wilson, M. L. Fletcher, and R. M. Sullivan Acetylcholine and Olfactory Perceptual Learning Learn. Mem., January 1, 2004; 11(1): 28 - 34. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Ditzen, J.-F. Evers, and C. G. Galizia Odor Similarity Does Not Influence the Time Needed for Odor Processing Chem Senses, November 1, 2003; 28(9): 781 - 789. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Wilson Rapid, Experience-Induced Enhancement in Odorant Discrimination by Anterior Piriform Cortex Neurons J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2003; 90(1): 65 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help