required reading:
Müller D, Abel R, Brandt R, Zöckler M, Menzel R (2002) Differential parallel processing of olfactory information in the honeybee, Apis mellifera. J Comp Physiol A 188: 359-370 .
pdf-file

Questions:

1. Describe different neuropiles (brain regions) in the insect olfactory pathway
2. What are the anatomical differences between m-ACT and l-ACT neurons?
3. Describe the methods used for stimulation and recording of responses.
4. What measures do the authors use when comparing different neurons (Methods 'Analysis'; Fig. 4, 6, 7b). Rationale?
5. What odor concentrations did the authors use? why? biological significance?
6. How did the experimenters distinguish between excitatory and inhibitory responses (spikes)?
7. What are the differences (if any) in odor response characteristics for m-ACT and l-ACT neurons? What is the evidence? Are the results convincing?
8. Are these separate pathways (m-ACT and l-ACT) required to help differentiate between different odors?
9. Based on their findings, what do the experimenters suggest about the possible functions of the two different olfactory processes?

PDF-file of power point lecture (about 1.5 MB)

optional background reading:
Abel R, Rybak J, Menzel R (2001) Structure and response patterns of olfactory interneurons in the honeybee Apis mellifera. J comp Neurol 437:363-383. pdf-file
Hanson BS, Anton S (2000) Function and morphology of the antennal lobe: new developments. Annu Rev Entomol 45:203-231. pdf-file
Perez-Orive J, Mazor O, Turner GC, Cassenaer S, Wilson RI, Laurent G (2002) Oscillations and sparsening of odor representations in the mushroom body. Science 297: 359-365. pdf-file
Stopfer M, Bhagavan S, Smith BH, Laurent G (1997) Impaired odour discrimination on desynchronization of odour-encoding neural assemblies. Nature 390: 70-74. pdf-file

Links:
Giovanni Galizia (olfactory maps)