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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Understanding Processing of Olfactory and Spatial Information by Brain with Real-Time Behavioral Analysis

Author Spotlight: Understanding Processing of Olfactory and Spatial Information by Brain with Real-Time Behavioral Analysis

Published on: September 20, 2024

Mice navigate scent trails using predictive policies.

Siddharth Jayakumar¹, Nicola Rigolli², Mackenzie W Mathis^1,3

¹Center for Brain Science and Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|September 15, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mice efficiently track odor trails using active sniffing and a learned internal model of the environment. Bilateral olfactory processing and interhemispheric communication are crucial for precise odor-guided navigation.

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Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Animal Behavior
Sensory Systems

Background:

Animals actively sense their environment to guide behaviors, with olfaction being key for mammals.
Mice use active sniffing and orofacial orientation to sample odors for navigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the strategies mice employ for navigating surface-bound odor trails.
To understand the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying odor-guided navigation in mice.

Main Methods:

Utilized a paper treadmill to present dynamic, non-repeating odor trails to mice.
Employed high-speed videography and quantitative behavioral analysis.
Investigated the effects of unilateral nostril blockage and anterior commissure transection on trail tracking.

Main Results:

Mice demonstrated rapid learning and precise, persistent tracking of odor trails.
Unilateral nostril blockage resulted in lateral bias and reduced tracking precision.
Anterior commissure transection severely impaired tracking and abolished the rapid turning response to sniffs near the trail.
Trail tracking involves short-term memory of trail geometry and statistics, not just reactive behavior.

Conclusions:

Mice combine immediate sensory input with an internal environmental model for efficient odor trail following.
Interhemispheric communication is essential for precise, bilateral odor-guided navigation in mice.
Odor-guided navigation relies on a sophisticated interplay between sensory processing, motor control, and cognitive strategies.