Neuroscience: Building better cognition through smell

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Sensory Systems

Background:

• Developmental neural activity is crucial for organizing sensory system development.
• The olfactory bulb's role in modulating higher-order brain circuits is an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of postnatal olfactory bulb activity on the development of hippocampal-cortical circuits.
• To determine if early olfactory sensory input influences later cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a mouse model to study neural development.
• Manipulated cell-specific olfactory bulb output during a critical infant sensitive period.
• Assessed structural and functional development of hippocampal-cortical circuits.
• Evaluated cognitive function in later life.

Main Results:

• Postnatal olfactory bulb activity was found to modulate the development of hippocampal-cortical circuit structure and function.
• Reducing olfactory bulb output during the infant sensitive period resulted in impaired later-life cognition.

Conclusions:

• Early olfactory sensory experiences are critical for the proper development of brain circuits underlying cognition.
• Interventions targeting early sensory processing may have long-term implications for cognitive health.