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Related Concept Videos

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

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Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
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Olfaction01:25

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The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
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Experience-Dependent Plasticity Drives Individual Differences in Pheromone-Sensing Neurons.

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Individual differences in brain cells are significant. Experience shapes neuronal types, even those linked to innate behaviors, highlighting the role of nurture in neural individuality.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Biology
  • Behavioral Genetics

Background:

  • Studying the neuronal basis of individual differences in behavior is challenging.
  • The vomeronasal organ (VNO) contains hundreds of distinct sensory neuron types involved in pheromone detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate inter-animal variability in neuronal types within the VNO.
  • To explore the role of plasticity in shaping neuronal individuality and apparent sex differences.

Main Methods:

  • Light-sheet microscopy was used to quantify the abundance of 17 physiologically defined neuronal types in the VNO.
  • Half a million sensory neurons were analyzed across different animals.

Main Results:

  • Significant inter-animal differences in neuronal type abundance were observed, exceeding chance.
  • Distinct patterns of variability were found among different physiological cell types.
  • A specific neuronal type, present in males and nearly absent in females, was found to be plastic, with its presence/absence altered by exposure to female scents.

Conclusions:

  • Experience and environmental factors ('nurture') play a critical role in establishing neural individuality.
  • Apparent sex differences in neuronal types can be generated by plasticity, challenging the notion of fixed innate characteristics.