Donald Wilson
Department of Neuroscience and Physiology
NYU

Smell in context: The role of top-down feedback and dynamic networks in olfaction

Sensory cortices process afferent input in the context of activity from a wide variety of other inter-cortical inputs. These top-down inputs provide information about expectation, recent history and multisensory associations that modulate the processing of bottom-up sensory input. Importantly the balance between bottom-up and top-down inputs in driving sensory cortical neurons is state- and behavior-dependent. Here I will describe piriform cortical processing of odors and odor-perceptual objects in such a dynamic context, explore the role of acetylcholine in modulating these intercortical connections, and highlight the importance of flexible “connectomes” in normal memory and perception.

A pizza lunch will be served.