Insects provide a useful model system for analyzing the sense of smell. They use their large antennae to capture airborne molecules, and the olfactory nerves to the insect brain send signals to endings in central structures called glomeruli, which have some organizational similarities to glomeruli in the olfactory central nervous system of vertebrates. It is not yet clear how information is processed by the brain to analyze the complicated spatial and temporal distribution of odor molecules captured by an olfactory organ. This project is to test a quantitative mathematical analysis of olfactory processing in insects by comparing theoretical predictions with actual experimental results from insect neurobiology. This model incorporates novel features of simultaneous encoding of quality and intensity, and of a network based on disinhibition (which has been explored in other sensory systems). Results will give insights about the relative contributions of the synaptic inputs from receptor neurons, antennal lobe neurons, and central projection neurons, as they interact. The importance of this work extends beyond insect olfaction to understanding sensory signal processing in general, with potential impact on other areas such as pest control, enhancement of fragrances and flavors, and technology of designing artificial chemical sensors.
