ELSC-ICNC Seminar - Shlomo Wagner

766 views · Published 28 October 2010 · 49:41 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: Hebrew University of Jerusalem · 2010 · Science & Technology

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Shlomo Wagner
Department of Neurobiology and Ethology, Center for Gene Modifications in the Brain, University of Haifa, Israel
 
On the topic of:
"Take your time: the accessory olfactory system and the time it takes to make new friends"

Abstract:
Most mammals rely on semiochemicals, such as pheromones, to mediate their social interactions. Recent studies found that Semiochemicals are perceived by (at least) two distinct chemosensory systems: the main olfactory system and the accessory olfactory system (also known as the vomeronasal system). Nevertheless, the division of labor between these systems remained unclear. Here we show that sensory responses of accessory olfactory bulb mitral cells are modulated by several biophysical mechanisms acting at time scales that range from seconds to minutes. We hypothesize that this prolonged modulation enables the accessory olfactory system to encode the social context of the animal.

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