A Cellular Mechanism for Main and Accessory Olfactory Integration at the Medial Amygdala
The Journal of Neuroscience, February 17, 2016 • 36(7):2083–2085 • 2083 Journal Club Editor’s Note: These short, critical reviews of recent papers in the Journal, written exclusively by graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, are intended to summarize the important findings of the paper and provide additional insight and commentary. For more information on the format and purpose of the Journal Club, please see http://www.jneurosci.org/misc/ifa_features.shtml. A Cellular Mechanism for Main and Accessory Olfactory Integration at the Medial Amygdala E. Mae Guthman1* and XJorge Vera2* 1Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, and 2Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 7800003 Review of Keshavarzi et al. Many vertebrates rely on their accessory (Sua´rez et al., 2012). Chemical cues reach thalamus (Keshavarzi et al., 2014), and and main olfactory systems (AOS and the AOS at a specialized sensory epithe- predator odors activate neurons in both re- MOS, respectively) to interact with their lium located in the vomeronasal organ gions (Pe´rez-Go´mez et al., 2015). Ventro- environment. Shaped by evolution to (VNO), a close-ended tubular structure medial hypothalamic neuronal activity is drive the perception of volatile and non- connected to the nostrils and positioned both necessary (Kunwar et al., 2015) and volatile molecules (for review, see Sua´rez at the base of the medial septum. The sufficient (Kunwar et al., 2015; Pe´rez- et al., 2012), these sensory systems allow VNO is sequestered from airflow; thus, Go´mez et al., 2015) to drive defensive be- animals to react and learn about the the chemical cues must solubilize with na- haviors.
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