Response patterns of amphibian olfactory bulb neurones to odour stimulation. 1974

J S Kauer

1. Responses of 199 single olfactory bulb neurones in the frog were observed with odour stimulation.2. To effect control over the concentration, flow rate and time course of the stimulus application, a simple olfactometer was developed and calibrated using a gas chromatograph. The stimulus pulses were monitored by recording the electro-olfactogram from the olfactory mucosa.3. Several categories of unit activity became evident after delivering many odour applications (637). Some odour applications did not cause any change in the spontaneous activity of the unit. This was classified as type N (no response) activity. Some applications caused a suppression of ongoing activity (type S activity). Some applications caused an excitation during the rising concentration phase of the stimulus pulse (type E activity). Three temporal patterns of excitatory responses were seen and these were categorized as subgroups of activity type E.4. Since each response type was seen with about the same frequency regardless of the odour used, this suggested that the temporal patterns of response per se were not coding for odour type.5. When odour concentration was manipulated for a unit showing suppressive (type S) activity at one concentration, then the unit tended to show qualitatively similar suppression at other concentrations as long as they were above threshold.6. When peak concentrations were manipulated for units showing excitatory (type E) activity, the temporal patterns of response could change dramatically. In many cases the units fired after one level of concentration had been reached and were subsequently suppressed with increase in concentration. Such ;concentration tuning' suggested that excitatory temporal patterns, in contrast to suppressive ones, were coding odour concentration information.7. The significance of the changes in temporal response patterns seen here, for experiments examining the relationships between odours using single unit response data, is discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009474 Neurons The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM. Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D009812 Odorants The volatile portions of chemical substances perceptible by the sense of smell. Odors,Aroma,Fragrance,Scents,Aromas,Fragrances,Odor,Odorant,Scent
D009830 Olfactory Bulb Ovoid body resting on the CRIBRIFORM PLATE of the ethmoid bone where the OLFACTORY NERVE terminates. The olfactory bulb contains several types of nerve cells including the mitral cells, on whose DENDRITES the olfactory nerve synapses, forming the olfactory glomeruli. The accessory olfactory bulb, which receives the projection from the VOMERONASAL ORGAN via the vomeronasal nerve, is also included here. Accessory Olfactory Bulb,Olfactory Tract,Bulbus Olfactorius,Lateral Olfactory Tract,Main Olfactory Bulb,Olfactory Glomerulus,Accessory Olfactory Bulbs,Bulb, Accessory Olfactory,Bulb, Main Olfactory,Bulb, Olfactory,Bulbs, Accessory Olfactory,Bulbs, Main Olfactory,Bulbs, Olfactory,Glomerulus, Olfactory,Lateral Olfactory Tracts,Main Olfactory Bulbs,Olfactorius, Bulbus,Olfactory Bulb, Accessory,Olfactory Bulb, Main,Olfactory Bulbs,Olfactory Bulbs, Accessory,Olfactory Bulbs, Main,Olfactory Tract, Lateral,Olfactory Tracts,Olfactory Tracts, Lateral,Tract, Lateral Olfactory,Tract, Olfactory,Tracts, Lateral Olfactory,Tracts, Olfactory
D010812 Physical Stimulation Act of eliciting a response from a person or organism through physical contact. Stimulation, Physical,Physical Stimulations,Stimulations, Physical
D011894 Rana pipiens A highly variable species of the family Ranidae in Canada, the United States and Central America. It is the most widely used Anuran in biomedical research. Frog, Leopard,Leopard Frog,Lithobates pipiens,Frogs, Leopard,Leopard Frogs
D002849 Chromatography, Gas Fractionation of a vaporized sample as a consequence of partition between a mobile gaseous phase and a stationary phase held in a column. Two types are gas-solid chromatography, where the fixed phase is a solid, and gas-liquid, in which the stationary phase is a nonvolatile liquid supported on an inert solid matrix. Chromatography, Gas-Liquid,Gas Chromatography,Chromatographies, Gas,Chromatographies, Gas-Liquid,Chromatography, Gas Liquid,Gas Chromatographies,Gas-Liquid Chromatographies,Gas-Liquid Chromatography
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000557 Ambystoma A genus of the Ambystomatidae family. The best known species are the axolotl AMBYSTOMA MEXICANUM and the closely related tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum. They may retain gills and remain aquatic without developing all of the adult characteristics. However, under proper changes in the environment they metamorphose. Amblystoma,Ambystoma tigrinum,Tiger Salamander,Amblystomas,Ambystomas,Salamander, Tiger,Salamanders, Tiger,Tiger Salamanders
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
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