Open AccessAutomated Analyses of Innate Olfactory Behaviors in Rodents
Author(s) -
Qiang Qiu,
Aaron Scott,
Hayley Scheerer,
Nirjal Sapkota,
Daniel K. Lee,
Limei Ma,
Chong Yu
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0093468
Subject(s) - odor , olfaction , perception , two alternative forced choice , sensory system , olfactory system , neuroscience , associative learning , detection threshold , preference , mushroom bodies , computer science , biology , artificial intelligence , psychology , cognitive psychology , biochemistry , drosophila melanogaster , real time computing , gene , economics , microeconomics
Olfaction based behavioral experiments are important for the investigation of sensory coding, perception, decision making and memory formation. The predominant experimental paradigms employ forced choice operant assays, which require associative learning and reinforced training. Animal performance in these assays not only reflects odor perception but also the confidence in decision making and memory. In this study, we describe a versatile and automated setup, “ P oking- R egistered O lfactory B ehavior E valuation S ystem” (PROBES), which can be adapted to perform multiple olfactory assays. In addition to forced choice assays, we employ this system to examine animal’s innate ability for odor detection, discrimination and preference without elaborate training procedures. These assays provide quantitative measurements of odor discrimination and robust readouts of odor preference. Using PROBES, we find odor detection thresholds are at lower concentrations in naïve animals than those determined by forced choice assays. PROBES-based automated assays provide an efficient way of analyzing innate odor-triggered behaviors.