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Free keywords:
olfaction, olfactory bulb, antennal lobe, learning, dynamical systems,
oscillations
Abstract:
We examine early olfactory processing in the vertebrate and insect
olfactory systems, using a computational perspective. What transformations occur
between the first and second olfactory processing stages? What are the causes and
consequences of these transformations? To answer these questions, we focus on the
functions of olfactory circuit structure and on the role of time in odor-evoked integrative
processes. We argue that early olfactory relays are active and dynamical networks,
whose actions change the format of odor-related information in very specific ways, so
as to refine stimulus identification. Finally, we introduce a new theoretical framework
(“winnerless competition”) for the interpretation of these data.
