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Related Concept Videos

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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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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The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Olfactory Influences on Corticospinal Excitability - Insights and Innovations in Neurological Research
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Spontaneous activity in the piriform cortex extends the dynamic range of cortical odor coding.

Malinda L S Tantirigama1, Helena H-Y Huang1, John M Bekkers2

  • 1Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|February 16, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Spontaneous neural activity in the mouse olfactory cortex, driven by the olfactory bulb, enhances odor perception. This bidirectional spiking broadens the dynamic range for representing complex smells.

Keywords:
anestheticcalcium imagingin vivoolfactiontwo-photon

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory System Research
  • Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Neurons in the neocortex show spontaneous activity, but its source and purpose are unclear.
  • Spontaneous spiking is also observed in the primary olfactory (piriform) cortex, a sensory paleocortex in mice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the origin and function of spontaneous neural activity in the piriform cortex.
  • To determine how spontaneous activity influences odor representation and coding.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings from piriform cortex neurons in mice.
  • Analysis of spontaneous firing rates and responses to odor stimulation.
  • Investigation of the role of NMDA receptors and olfactory bulb input.

Main Results:

  • Piriform neurons exhibit spontaneous firing with rates varying by neuronal class.
  • This activity depends on NMDA receptors and originates from the olfactory bulb.
  • Odor stimulation elicits excitation in ~15% of neurons and suppression in ~15%, revealing bidirectional responses.
  • Neuronal responsiveness is less sparse than previously thought due to bidirectional changes.

Conclusions:

  • Spontaneous activity in the piriform cortex is driven by bottom-up input and modulated by NMDA receptors.
  • Bidirectional spiking (excitation and suppression) around an elevated baseline expands the dynamic range of odor representation.
  • Spontaneous activity enriches the neural coding space for complex olfactory stimuli, improving odor perception.