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Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

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Published on: April 11, 2025

Neural basis of olfactory perception.

Alan Gelperin¹, Ambarish Ghatpande

¹Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. agelperin@monell.org

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

|August 19, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Investigating the neural basis of smell involves new tools to study brain activity during odor processing. The orbitofrontal cortex is key for forming smell perceptions, but more research is needed to confirm its causal role.

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Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

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Published on: July 13, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Olfactory processing

Background:

Understanding how the brain processes smells and creates perceptions is crucial.
Advanced genetic, optical, and psychophysical tools are enhancing this research.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify brain regions and their interactions in central olfactory information processing.
To investigate neural mechanisms underlying olfactory perception and odor-based decision-making.

Main Methods:

Utilizing novel methods for recording neural activity in awake, behaving animals during olfactory tasks.
Employing psychophysical, imaging, and computational approaches.

Main Results:

New insights into neuromodulation and synaptic interactions in the olfactory system.
Observed distinct neural properties in awake versus anesthetized brains during olfactory processing.

Conclusions:

The orbitofrontal cortex is a probable center for odor perception formation in mammals.
Further investigation is required to establish a causal relationship between neural activity and perception in this region.