The goal of this research is to understand how the expression of mature olfactory system function is influenced by sensory input during ontogeny. Specifically, the proposed research is an investigation of the effects of early unilateral olfactory deprivation on olfactory bulb physiology and function. While early unilateral olfactory deprivation has been shown to produce profound changes in olfactory bulb anatomy, the functional consequences of this deprivation are not known. The proposed research will examine several functional measures under a variety of deprivation conditions. First, response patterns of bulb output neurons, mitral/tufted cells, to odors will be examined after varying durations of deprivation. Second, the effects of deprivation on the activity of bulb interneurons will be assayed using paired-pulse stimulation. Third, the role of glomerular layer dopamine, which is severely reduced by deprivation, will be examined. Fourth, behavior odor detection thresholds following deprivation will be determined. Finally, the age sensitivity and reversibility of deprivation effects on these measures will be determined.
Wilson, D A; Sullivan, R M; Gall, C M et al. (1996) NMDA-receptor modulation of lateral inhibition and c-fos expression in olfactory bulb. Brain Res 719:62-71 |
Sullivan, R M; Wilson, D A (1995) Dissociation of behavioral and neural correlates of early associative learning. Dev Psychobiol 28:213-9 |
Wilson, D A; Sullivan, R M (1995) The D2 antagonist spiperone mimics the effects of olfactory deprivation on mitral/tufted cell odor response patterns. J Neurosci 15:5574-81 |
Wilson, D A (1995) NMDA receptors mediate expression of one form of functional plasticity induced by olfactory deprivation. Brain Res 677:238-42 |
Hamrick, W D; Wilson, D A; Sullivan, R M (1993) Neural correlates of memory for odor detection conditioning in adult rats. Neurosci Lett 163:36-40 |
Wilson, D A; Wood, J G (1992) Functional consequences of unilateral olfactory deprivation: time-course and age sensitivity. Neuroscience 49:183-92 |