Presentation Details
| Cortical dynamics in primary chemosensory areas to multimodal stimuli Ainsley Craddock, Thomas Gray, Abuzar Mahmood, Donald Katz. Brandeis University, Waltham, MA |
Abstract
During feeding behaviors, taste and smell often coincide, creating the experience of flavor. While multiple components of this experience remain largely understudied, there have been considerable efforts to gain a better understanding for how chemosensory cortical areas work to process multimodal chemosensory stimuli. The higher order cortical areas responsible for processing taste, smell, and flavor are gustatory cortex (GC) and piriform cortex (PC). The computations that occur in these areas are beginning to become more characterized; however, dynamics between these areas have been relatively unexplored with regards to single-unit resolution electrophysiology. As demonstrated in our electrophysiological data, not only do GC and PC interact dynamically when a combination of taste and smell are given to rats, but each area also contains populations of neurons responsive to both stimuli. A question that remains is how the coherence between GC and PC is modulated when unimodal or multimodal stimuli are perceived, and whether this coherence depends on the method of odor delivery (retronasally through the mouth, or orthonasally into the nares). To answer this, we delivered stimuli in a pseudorandom order, both passively and actively, while simultaneously recording in GC and PC. Additionally, we demonstrate the effects of modulating these afferent connections from PC to GC using optogenetics in order to determine the dependence of GC odor responsive neurons on PC neuron populations. This work aims to address gaps in chemosensory cortical dynamics by recording these two areas simultaneously in freely moving rats and perturbing normal responses in chemosensory neurons.
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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.
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