Cited by 500Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchOlfactory and Sensory Function StudiesVisual perception and processing mechanisms

Divisive Normalization in Olfactory Population Codes

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Olsen, Shawn R., Bhandawat, Vikas, Wilson, Rachel I.·2010·Neuron

Abstract

In many regions of the visual system, the activity of a neuron is normalized by the activity of other neurons in the same region. Here we show that a similar normalization occurs during olfactory processing in the Drosophila antennal lobe. We exploit the orderly anatomy of this circuit to independently manipulate feedforward and lateral input to second-order projection neurons (PNs). Lateral inhibition increases the level of feedforward input needed to drive PNs to saturation, and this normalization scales with the total activity of the olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) population. Increasing total ORN activity also makes PN responses more transient. Strikingly, a model with just two variables (feedforward and total ORN activity) accurately predicts PN odor responses. Finally, we show that discrimination by a linear decoder is facilitated by two complementary transformations: the saturating transformation intrinsic to each processing channel boosts weak signals, while normalization helps equalize responses to different stimuli.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.04.009

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Authors
Olsen, S. R., Bhandawat, V., & Wilson, R. I.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Wilson, Rachel I.
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-04
Volume
66
Issue
2
Pages
287-299
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2138260451
Cited by
500
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 26
FWCI
11.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • McKnight Foundation
  • Charles A. King Trust
  • National Institutes of Health (R01DC008174)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
divisive normalization, antennal lobe, projection neurons, lateral inhibition, olfactory sensory neurons, signal saturation, transient response, odor discrimination, linear decoder, Drosophila olfaction
MeSH terms
Animals, Drosophila, Electrophysiology, Models, Neurological, Nerve Net, Neural Inhibition, Synaptic Transmission, Odorants, Olfactory Pathways, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted, Smell, Olfactory Receptor Neurons

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