A Computational Analysis of Olfactory Processing in the Insect Antennal Lobes

昆虫为嗅觉的分析提供了一个有用的模型系统。 它们用它们的大触角捕捉空气中的分子，昆虫大脑的嗅觉神经将信号发送到称为肾小球的中央结构中的末端，肾小球与脊椎动物嗅觉中枢神经系统中的肾小球有一些组织相似性。 目前还不清楚大脑如何处理信息，以分析嗅觉器官捕获的气味分子的复杂空间和时间分布。 本研究目的是通过比较昆虫神经生物学的理论预测与实际实验结果，来检验昆虫嗅觉加工的定量数学分析。 该模型采用了新的功能，同时编码的质量和强度，和一个网络的基础上去抑制（已在其他感官系统探索）。 结果将提供有关的相对贡献的突触输入从受体神经元，触角叶神经元和中央投射神经元，因为它们相互作用的见解。 这项工作的重要性超出了昆虫嗅觉，以了解一般的感觉信号处理，对其他领域，如害虫控制，增强香味和风味，以及设计人工化学传感器的技术的潜在影响。

Insects provide a useful model system for analyzing the sense of smell. They use their large antennae to capture airborne molecules, and the olfactory nerves to the insect brain send signals to endings in central structures called glomeruli, which have some organizational similarities to glomeruli in the olfactory central nervous system of vertebrates. It is not yet clear how information is processed by the brain to analyze the complicated spatial and temporal distribution of odor molecules captured by an olfactory organ. This project is to test a quantitative mathematical analysis of olfactory processing in insects by comparing theoretical predictions with actual experimental results from insect neurobiology. This model incorporates novel features of simultaneous encoding of quality and intensity, and of a network based on disinhibition (which has been explored in other sensory systems). Results will give insights about the relative contributions of the synaptic inputs from receptor neurons, antennal lobe neurons, and central projection neurons, as they interact. The importance of this work extends beyond insect olfaction to understanding sensory signal processing in general, with potential impact on other areas such as pest control, enhancement of fragrances and flavors, and technology of designing artificial chemical sensors.