Objective The rules linking odor perception to odorant structure are unknown. No scientist nor perfumer can predict an odor based on its molecular structure, or decipher a molecular structure based on its smell. It is this puzzle we aim to solve. In vision and audition coding was probed by linking critical physical stimulus dimensions (wavelength/frequency) to patterns of neural activity. But what are the critical physical dimensions in olfaction? Scientists have probed this by linking restricted physico-chemical aspects of the stimulus, e.g. carbon chain-length, to neural activity. However, the olfactory system did not evolve to decode carbon chain-length, but rather to encode the world around us as revealed in olfactory perception. With this in mind we developed a novel perception-based olfactory space with tangible olfactory axes, based on statistical dimension-reduction of perceptual estimates obtained from humans. In Aim 1 we will test the hypothesis that our generated space predicts olfactory perception in humans. In Aim 2 we will test the hypothesis that our generated space predicts odorant-induced neural activity in olfactory cortex (using fMRI) and epithelium (using novel methods for measurement from human neurons in vivo, methods then further explored as a potential diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease). In Aim 3 we will test the hypothesis that our generated space explains neural activity previously measured in the olfactory system across species. In Aim 4 we will use this framework to tune an artificial nose for medical diagnostics. In vision and audition scientists can probe the system within agreed dimensions (color/wavelength; pitch/frequency). Similarly, our proposal generates an olfactory space where one can systematically probe molecular receptor tuning-curves, cellular spatial and temporal coding schemes, as well as higher-order perception. In other words, we propose a common framework for olfaction research. Fields of science medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologydementiaalzheimerengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors Keywords chemical olfaction senses sensory sensory systems chemical senses olfaction systems Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-LS4 - ERC Starting Grant - Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology Call for proposal ERC-2007-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE EU contribution € 1 596 000,00 Address HERZL STREET 234 7610001 Rehovot Israel See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Talia Tzahor (Ms.) Principal investigator Noam Sobel (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE Israel EU contribution € 1 596 000,00 Address HERZL STREET 234 7610001 Rehovot See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Talia Tzahor (Ms.) Principal investigator Noam Sobel (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
