Neural substrate underlying the formation of local receptive fields on an single antenna

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Convergence of cognate olfactory sensory axons in the same glomerulus of the olfactory bulb is a unique adaptation for detecting and differentiating volatile chemicals, but makes representation of stimulus topography challenging. We have identified several pheromone-responsive interneurons in the cockroach that exhibit small or large receptive fields on the antenna that arise from intraglomerular segregation of sensory inputs based on soma location. These interneurons project to distinct domains of the mushroom body, then converge in the lateral protocerebrum. The existence of interneurons that convey information about the architecture of odor plumes provides important new insight into odor processing.