DYNAMIC ENCODING OF ODORS WITH OSCILLATING NEURONAL ASSEMBLIES IN THELOCUST BRAIN

The computational rules followed by the brain to encode complex, multi dimensional 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 brai n. We propose that individual odors are represented by ensembles of ne urons that are distributed both in space (the specific identities of t he neurons forming an ensemble) and in lime (the time at which each ne uron participates in the ensemble response), In addition, we discuss t he potential roles that periodic synchronization (oscillations) might play in this complex process.