Odor Coding in the Dorsal Tenia Tecta

项目摘要 感知的形成是通过大脑网络处理感官信息的结果。 每个区域都对感知有独特的贡献。因此，为了理解大脑 编码感官信息，我们必须研究网络的每个组成部分。嗅觉是依赖的 在以串行和并行方式连接的处理中心的分布式网络上。气味 信息被组织成映射到嗅球上的受体特异性通道。这些奇异的溪流 的信息被广泛地由二尖瓣/簇状细胞投射到多个皮质结构。这种直接的并行输入 被认为允许每个区域保持刺激的代表性，并在气味中发挥独特的作用 perception.虽然假定的功能已被归因于几个嗅觉皮层区域， 嗅觉的背侧带仍然是一个谜。在这里，我们建议检查连接性， 气味编码和该区域的功能。具体目标1将检查的传入和传出连接的 背带具体目标2将描述背腱顶盖神经元的气味调谐特性。 具体目标3将评估该区域对嗅觉感知的贡献。实现这些目标将提供 对气味特征如何在大脑中编码和映射的新见解，并阐明了 这个神秘的嗅觉区域

PROJECT SUMMARY The formation of a percept results from the processing of sensory information across a network of brain regions, each contributing uniquely to perception. Thus, to understand the mechanisms by which the brain encodes sensory information, we must study each component of the network. Olfactory perception is dependent upon a distributed network of processing centers, which are connected in serial and parallel manners. Odor information is organized into receptor-specific channels mapped onto the olfactory bulb. These singular streams of information are broadly projected by mitral/ tufted cells to multiple cortical structures. This direct, parallel input is thought to allow each region to maintain a representation of the stimulus and play a unique role in odor perception. While putative functions have been ascribed to several olfactory cortical regions, the importance of the dorsal tenia tecta for olfactory perception remains a mystery. Here, we propose to examine the connectivity, odor coding, and function of this region. Specific Aim 1 will examine the afferent and efferent connections of the dorsal tenia tecta. Specific Aim 2 will characterize the odor tuning properties of dorsal tenia tecta neurons. Specific Aim 3 will assess the contribution of this region for olfactory perception. Achieving these aims will provide new insight into how odorant features are encoded and mapped within the brain and elucidate the function of this enigmatic brain region for olfactory perception.