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Abstract:
The computational rules followed by the brain to encode complex, multidimensional stimuli such as natural odors are not well understood. In this review, we summarize results obtained in the olfactory system of an insect and present a hypothesis for odor representation in the brain. We propose that individual odors are represented by ensembles of neurons that are distributed both in space (the specific identities of the neurons forming an ensemble) and in time (the time at which each neuron participates in the ensemble response). In addition, we discuss the potential roles that periodic synchronization (oscillations) might play in this complex process.
