Cortical odor processing in health and disease.
The olfactory system has a rich cortical representation, including a large archicortical component present in most vertebrates, and in mammals neocortical components including the entorhinal and orbitofrontal cortices. Together, these cortical components contribute to normal odor perception and memory. They help transform the physicochemical features of volatile molecules inhaled or exhaled through the nose into the perception of odor objects with rich associative and hedonic aspects. This chapter focuses on how olfactory cortical areas contribute to odor perception and begins to explore why odor perception is so sensitive to disease and pathology. Odor perception is disrupted by a wide range of disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, depression, autism, and early life exposure to toxins. This olfactory deficit often occurs despite maintained functioning in other sensory systems. Does the unusual network of olfactory cortical structures contribute to this sensitivity?
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA; Cognitive Neuroscience Program, City College, City University of New York, New York, USA. Electronic address: donald.wilson@nyumc.org.
Donald A
DA
Wilson
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Wenjin
W
Xu
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Benjamin
B
Sadrian
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Emmanuelle
E
Courtiol
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Yaniv
Y
Cohen
Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, USA; Cognitive Neuroscience Program, City College, City University of New York, New York, USA.
Dylan C
DC
Barnes
D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell
entorhinal cortex; mediodorsal thalamus; odor perception; orbitofrontal cortex; piriform cortex