Presentation Details
| Measuring Human Olfactory Bulb Gamma on the Single Breath Level Adam Dede1, Qiohan Yang1, Andrew Sheriff1, Naelly Arriaga1, Aditi Agarwal2, Sajel Peters2, Gregory Lane1, Justin Morgenthaler1, Christina Zelano1, Bruce Tan2. 1Northwestern University Department of Neurology, Chicago, IL, USA.2Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Chicago, IL, USA |
Abstract
The olfactory bulb (OB) is a canonical generator of respiration-locked network rhythms, including multiple gamma sub-bands. Here we characterize a continuously expressed low/slow-gamma oscillation in the human OB in awake humans at single-breath resolution and test how its coupling to respiration depends on attentional set. We recorded OB-proximal field potentials using minimally invasive intranasal stereo-electrodes positioned immediately beneath the cribriform plate, with electrode location confirmed by CT in every participant. Across individuals, low-gamma peak frequency varied between individuals yet was highly stable within individuals across breaths and across sessions. On each breath, both gamma amplitude and instantaneous frequency were systematically modulated by respiratory phase, demonstrating that gamma is not merely stimulus-evoked but an ongoing rhythm embedded within the breathing cycle. Critically, the phase of maximal gamma amplitude depended on behavioral context: during passive nasal breathing while listening to an audiobook, gamma was strongest during exhalation; after mindfulness meditation instructions that encouraged interoceptive attention to breathing, the preferred phase became bimodal, concentrating near the inhale–exhale transition and the end of exhalation, with reduced expression in mid-exhalation. These findings establish single-breath gamma as a robust, individual-specific signature in human OB and reveal that attention dynamically reconfigures respiration–gamma coupling, providing a mechanistic bridge between breathing, sensory circuits, and cognitive state.
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.
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.
Content Locked. Log into a registered attendee account to access this presentation.