Single-neuron representations of odours in the human brain.

ABSTRACT: Olfaction is a fundamental sensory modality that guides animal and human behaviour^1,2. However, the underlying neural processes of human olfaction are still poorly understood at the fundamental-that is, the single-neuron-level. Here we report recordings of single-neuron activity in the piriform cortex and medial temporal lobe in awake humans performing an odour rating and identification task. We identified odour-modulated neurons within the piriform cortex, amygdala, entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. In each of these regions, neuronal firing accurately encodes odour identity. Notably, repeated odour presentations reduce response firing rates, demonstrating central repetition suppression and habituation. Different medial temporal lobe regions have distinct roles in odour process

SUBMITTER: Kehl MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11485236 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature