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olfaction

·February 6, 2024·4 min read

How Odors Influence Brain’s Decision Making Mechanism

Researchers have uncovered a novel function of the hippocampus in decision making, showing that specific brain cells, known as 'time cells,' are stimulated by odors to facilitate rapid 'go, no-go' decisions.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·February 5, 2024·4 min read

Fruit Flies’ Sensory Evolution: A Whiff of Genetic Secrets

Researchers mapped the sensory evolution of fruit flies, revealing how genetic variations enable them to adapt their sense of smell and taste to diverse environments. The team discovered that while most genes remain stable across generations, a significant number have evolved, leading to unique olfactory experiences among different fly species.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 17, 2024·7 min read

Male and Female Silkmoths Perceive Odors Differently

A study uncovers distinct olfactory worlds between male and female silkmoths, contrasting with the similar sense of smell in human males and females. Female silkmoths, previously thought to be attuned to mulberry tree odors for egg-laying, surprisingly respond more to silkworm feces odors, crucial after mating.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·December 15, 2023·5 min read

Alzheimer’s Alters COVID-19 Response in Olfactory Cells

Researchers uncovered how Alzheimer's Disease (AD) impacts COVID-19 outcomes through changes in the olfactory mucosal cells. Their study focused on individuals with AD who experienced exacerbated COVID-19 symptoms.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 15, 2023·5 min read

Traffic Ultrafine Particles Impact Human Olfactory Cells

A new study reveals that ultrafine particles from traffic emissions significantly alter gene expression in human olfactory mucosa cells. This first-of-its-kind study combined analyses of diesel fuel emissions and their effects on a human-derived cell model.

This shows a woman sniffing a glass of wine.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 31, 2023·3 min read

How Neurons Help Decipher Wine Aromas and Other Scents

Scientists unraveled how animals differentiate distinct scents, even those that seem remarkably similar. While some neurons consistently identify differing smells, others respond unpredictably, aiding in distinguishing nuanced aromas over time.

This shows an older man smelling a flower.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 25, 2023·6 min read

Sniffing Out Longevity: Aversion to Harmful Odors May Affect Lifespan

Nematodes from the species Caenorhabditis elegans show aversion to harmful odors, which might be an indicator of their enhanced longevity. A new study reveals that these odor molecules from pathogenic bacteria not only induce avoidance behaviors in the nematodes but also stimulate a protective neural circuit in other tissues.

This shows a woman smelling a rose, surrounded by swirling colors.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 6, 2023·5 min read

How Odors Warp Our Color Perception

Researchers unveiled an intriguing intersection between our sense of smell and color perception, revealing how particular scents can subtly distort our color experiences. In a meticulous experiment involving six different odors and a neutrally visual task, participants' color perception skewed in alignment with established odor-color associations, such as caramel with brown and yellow or coffee with brown and red.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 19, 2023·3 min read

How Flies Turn Memories into Upwind Food Hunts

Researchers revealed how the fruit fly brain transforms memories of past rewards into actionable behaviors, guiding the fly to food. A key brain region, the mushroom body, integrates olfactory information and assigns values to odors, but the link to motor actions was unclear.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 2, 2023·7 min read

AI Cracks the Code on Odor Perception

Researchers unravel the mysteries of smell using machine learning. Their AI model has achieved human-level skill in describing how certain chemicals will smell, closing a critical gap in the scientific understanding of olfaction.

This shows bottles full of flowers and herbs.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 8, 2023·6 min read

Why Do We Like Certain Scents?

Researchers delved into understanding why certain smells appeal to us and others don't by studying locusts. Through a series of experiments, they analyzed how locusts' brains reacted to various odors and the behavior exhibited in response.

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos

·August 6, 2023·3 min read

Probing Pathways of Perception: This Week’s Top 5 Advances from Neuroscience News, August 6, 2023

This week's top neuroscience news includes breakthroughs such as a promising Alzheimer's vaccine, the unveiling of a key inflammation pathway impacting aging, and the identification of sensory neurons in the colon.

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olfaction

How Odors Influence Brain’s Decision Making Mechanism

Fruit Flies’ Sensory Evolution: A Whiff of Genetic Secrets

Male and Female Silkmoths Perceive Odors Differently

Alzheimer’s Alters COVID-19 Response in Olfactory Cells

Traffic Ultrafine Particles Impact Human Olfactory Cells

How Neurons Help Decipher Wine Aromas and Other Scents

Sniffing Out Longevity: Aversion to Harmful Odors May Affect Lifespan

How Odors Warp Our Color Perception

How Flies Turn Memories into Upwind Food Hunts

AI Cracks the Code on Odor Perception

Why Do We Like Certain Scents?

Probing Pathways of Perception: This Week’s Top 5 Advances from Neuroscience News, August 6, 2023

The Way You Drive Might Signal Mild Cognitive Impairment

Neural Ultrasound Boosts Learning in 60 Seconds

CBD Can Reduce Aggression in Dogs

Watching Pain on Screen Can Make Your Body Flinch

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