Experience and behavior modulate piriform cortex odor representation in freely moving mice.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Olfactory system research
• Sensory processing

Background:

• Piriform cortex (PC) neuronal activity encodes odor identity within a single session.
• Odor representations in the PC show reduced consistency over extended periods.
• The influence of behavior on the reliability of PC odor representations remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term stability of odor representations in the piriform cortex.
• To explore the role of animal behavior in modulating PC activity and odor coding consistency over time.

Main Methods:

• Chronic micro-endoscopic calcium imaging of piriform cortex neurons in freely moving mice.
• Recording neuronal activity across sequential days of odor exposure.
• Correlating changes in odor representation with observed animal investigation behaviors.

Main Results:

• Odor representations were detected in PC activity despite background neural firing in freely moving animals.
• Changes in PC response features and representational consistency across sessions correlated with animal investigation behavior.
• Significant shifts in PC odor representation occurred over time (days).

Conclusions:

• Piriform cortex odor representations are dynamic and change over extended periods.
• Animal behavior, specifically investigation, plays a role in modulating PC activity and the stability of odor representations.
• Behavioral engagement is crucial for maintaining reliable neural coding in the olfactory system.