Manipulating Synthetic Optogenetic Odors Reveals the Coding Logic of Olfactory Perception

This week on Journal Club session Maria Psarrou will talk about a paper "Manipulating Synthetic Optogenetic Odors Reveals the Coding Logic of Olfactory Perception".


How does neural activity generate perception? Finding the combinations of spatial or temporal activityfeatures (such as neuron identity or latency) that are consequential for perception remains challenging. We trained mice to recognize synthetic odors constructed from parametrically defined patterns ofoptogenetic activation, then measured perceptual changes during extensive and controlled perturbationsacross spatiotemporal dimensions. We modeled recognition as the matching of patterns to learnedtemplates. The templates that best predicted recognition were sequences of spatially identified units,ordered by latencies relative to each other (with minimal effects of sniff). Within templates, individualunits contributed additively, with larger contributions from earlier-activated units. Our syntheticapproach reveals the fundamental logic of the olfactory code and provides a general framework fortesting links between sensory activity and perception.


Papers:

Date: 2022/02/04
Time: 14:00
Location: online

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