Presentation Details
| Human piriform cortical representations of perceived odor intensity Andrew Sheriff1, Guangyu Zhou1, Robert Pellegrino3, Matthew Andres3, Julia Jamka1, Mahmoud Omidbeigi1, Joshua M.Rosenow2, Stephan Schuele1, Chima Oluigbo5, Mohamad Koubeissi6, Gregory Lane1, Joel Mainland3, 4, Christina Zelano1. 1Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.2Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.3Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.4Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.5Division of Neurosurgery, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.6Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA |
Abstract
Perceived intensity of odors is an important component of olfactory processing. However, most studies use odor concentration as a proxy for perceived intensity. While odor concentration is related to perceived intensity, perceptual ratings, which are only available in human participants, are required to dissociate the two. Neural correlates of odor concentration in rodents—including spike rates and latencies, and ensemble synchrony—have been shown in the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex. In order to characterize representations of perceived odor intensity in humans, we collected perceived intensity ratings on each presentation of different odors of different concentrations during direct recordings of local field potentials (LFPs) of human piriform cortex. In a 3x3 experimental design, participants (n = 5) smelled 3 odorants (benzaldehyde, 2-heptanone, and diethylprazine) at 3 concentrations (low, medium, and high). To ensure the concentration of each stimulus was consistent across trials, odors were delivered through a controlled system involving a sealed nalophan bag filled with 10L of medical grade air containing vaporized liquid odorants at concentrations previously matched for odor intensity. For analysis of human piriform LFPs, trials were sorted by perceived odor intensity ratings collapsed across odor identities. Preliminary data suggest differences between neural correlates of perceived intensity and those of odor concentration, including amplitude and latency effects in distinct oscillatory bands of piriform LFPs. Findings here will help connect findings of neural correlates of odor concentration and perceptual intensity in rodents with those in humans.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.