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PMID: 11264322 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Olfactory fingerprints for major histocompatibility complex-determined body odors.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience ·Vol. 21 ·No. 7 ·2001-04-01 ·Pages 2481-7

Schaefer ML, Young DA, Restrepo D

Abstract

Recognition of individual body odors is analogous to human face recognition in that it provides information about identity. Individual body odors determined by differences at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC or H-2) have been shown to influence mate choice, pregnancy block, and maternal behavior in mice. Unfortunately, the mechanism and extent of the main olfactory bulb (MOB) and accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) involvement in the discrimination of animals according to H-2-type has remained ambiguous. Here we study the neuronal activation patterns evoked in the MOB in different individuals on exposure to these complex, biologically meaningful sensory stimuli. We demonstrate that body odors from H-2 disparate mice evoke overlapping but distinct maps of neuronal activation in the MOB. The spatial patterns of odor-evoked activity are sufficient to be used like fingerprints to predict H-2 identity using a novel computer algorithm. These results provide functional evidence for discrimination of H-2-determined body odors in the MOB, but do not preclude a role for the AOB. These data further our understanding of the neural strategies used to decode socially relevant odors.

MeSH Terms
Algorithms Animals Brain Mapping Major Histocompatibility Complex/physiology Mice Neurons/physiology Odorants Olfactory Bulb/physiology
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Schaefer M L
Neuroscience Program, Rocky Mountain Taste and Smell Center, Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA.
Young D A
Restrepo D
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Article Info
Journal
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
Abbr.
J Neurosci
ISSN
1529-2401
Published
2001-04-01
Pages
2481-7
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
8102140
PMCID
PMC6762408
Subset
IM
Grants
NIMH NIH HHS · F31 MH012438 · United States
NIDCD NIH HHS · R01 DC000566 · United States
NIMH NIH HHS · MH12438 · United States
NIDCD NIH HHS · DC00566 · United States
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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