Piriform cortex functional heterogeneity revealed by cellular responses to odours

The role of the piriform cortex (PC) in olfactory information processing remains mainly unknown. Indeed, until recently, only a few studies have investigated the response of PC neurons to odours and these studies did not take into account the functional heterogeneity of the PC previously described using an electrical stimulation paradigm. In this experiment, extracellular activity in response to odour was recorded in urethane anaesthetized rats in the different parts of the cortex ranging from anterior to posterior. A large percentage of cortical cells were silent at rest, and this percentage increased from anterior to posterior. Analysis of odour evoked activity revealed a large percentage of nonresponsive cells that increased from anterior to posterior. Cell activity was largely synchronized with breathing and different temporal patterns were observed. The anterior PC was characterized by odour-evoked responses phase-locked with the inhalation-exhalation transition period. By contrast, activity in the posterior PC was mainly phase-locked with inhalation or exhalation. These data confirm the spatial functional heterogeneity previously reported in the PC. Functional anatomy of the PC suggests that activity in the anterior PC can be mainly driven by afferent activity coming from the OB whereas posterior cells were certainly entrained by more complex mechanisms.