Leveraging olfaction to study social behavior in the mouse

Host

Susana Lima, PhD, Neuroethology Lab

Venue

Seminar room

Abstract

The Stowers Lab is studying the logic of the olfactory system to perform sensation while leveraging the stereotypy, simplicity, and robustness of olfactory-promoted courtship behavior to identify corresponding neural circuits and mechanisms. Though the behavior is relatively simple, these circuits display characteristics of more complex behaviors including state-dependency, decision-making, emotion, and learning. How does olfaction guide behavior? Much of our understanding of how olfaction works in mice is based on highly controlled artificial stimulus and response parameters. This has allowed us to make great progress to understand concentration thresholds, mixture perception, and sensation dynamics to create a solid foundation of what the system is capable of sensing. Other research is identifying the ‘meaning’ of sensation by focusing on behavioral responses to odor cues and studying the coding logic of downstream circuits. These studies are largely blind to sensation dynamics. Currently, we are missing a complete picture of how odor cues are being sensed to guide behavior during free investigation of natural scenes. We are applying mini-endoscopes that do not interfere with natural movement, so that vomeronasal sensation can be measured and studied as the individual navigates towards, interacts with, and responds to a wide variety of simple, complex, and social stimuli. This enables us to identify when, what, and how chemosensation is being used during natural behavior. The dynamics are quite different from inspiration-driven sense of smell and are likely to inform behavior on unknown timescales. We expect that combining the study of real-time sensation with the activity observed during social behavior of downstream circuits will reveal unexpected features of social dynamics.

Biography

Dr. Stowers obtained her PhD at Harvard University in 1997 and was an HHMI Post-doctoral Fellow in Catherine Dulac’s lab identifying molecular mechanisms of social behavior. She joined Scripps Research in 2002 where she remains today as a Professor of Neuroscience. Her lab studies how the brain senses and acts. She has been a finalist for the Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology; and named a Pew Scholar and Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Neuroscience.

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