%0 Journal Article %1 doi:10.1093/chemse/bjq022 %A Brandstaetter, Andreas Simon %A Rössler, Wolfgang %A Kleineidam, Christoph Johannes %D 2010 %J Chemical Senses %K ag_roessler zoo_2 %N 4 %P 323 %R 10.1093/chemse/bjq022 %T Dummies versus Air Puffs: Efficient Stimulus Delivery for Low-Volatile Odors %U /brokenurl# + http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjq022 %V 35 %X Aiming to unravel how animals perceive odors, a variety of neurophysiological techniques are used today. For olfactory stimulation, odors are commonly incorporated into a constant airstream that carries odor molecules to the receptor organ (air-delivered stimulation). Such odor delivery works well for odors of high volatility (naturally effective over long distances) but less or not at all for low-volatile odors (usually only received at short range). We developed a new odor stimulation technique especially suited for low-volatile odors and compared it with conventional air-delivered stimulation using 2 neurophysiological approaches. Odor-loaded dummies were moved into close vicinity of the receptor organs on the antenna of the Florida carpenter ant Camponotus floridanus (dummy-delivered stimulation). Neuronal activity was monitored either at receptor neuron level using electroantennography or in the first olfactory neuropile, the antennal lobes, using calcium imaging. We tested 3 odors of different volatility: C. floridanus’ highly volatile alarm pheromone undecane, its low-volatile trail pheromone nerolic acid, and an even less volatile, behaviorally active C23 alkene, cis-9-tricosene. For low-volatile odors, dummy-delivered stimulation was particularly efficient. We conclude that dummy-delivered stimulation is advantageous compared to the commonly used air-delivered stimulation when studying an animal’s detection and processing of low-volatile odors.

@article{doi:10.1093/chemse/bjq022, abstract = {Aiming to unravel how animals perceive odors, a variety of neurophysiological techniques are used today. For olfactory stimulation, odors are commonly incorporated into a constant airstream that carries odor molecules to the receptor organ (air-delivered stimulation). Such odor delivery works well for odors of high volatility (naturally effective over long distances) but less or not at all for low-volatile odors (usually only received at short range). We developed a new odor stimulation technique especially suited for low-volatile odors and compared it with conventional air-delivered stimulation using 2 neurophysiological approaches. Odor-loaded dummies were moved into close vicinity of the receptor organs on the antenna of the Florida carpenter ant Camponotus floridanus (dummy-delivered stimulation). Neuronal activity was monitored either at receptor neuron level using electroantennography or in the first olfactory neuropile, the antennal lobes, using calcium imaging. We tested 3 odors of different volatility: C. floridanus’ highly volatile alarm pheromone undecane, its low-volatile trail pheromone nerolic acid, and an even less volatile, behaviorally active C23 alkene, cis-9-tricosene. For low-volatile odors, dummy-delivered stimulation was particularly efficient. We conclude that dummy-delivered stimulation is advantageous compared to the commonly used air-delivered stimulation when studying an animal’s detection and processing of low-volatile odors.}, added-at = {2017-06-26T10:05:05.000+0200}, author = {Brandstaetter, Andreas Simon and Rössler, Wolfgang and Kleineidam, Christoph Johannes}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2abf433343d3b381c32eee81158659cbc/zoologieii}, doi = {10.1093/chemse/bjq022}, eprint = {/oup/backfile/content_public/journal/chemse/35/4/10.1093_chemse_bjq022/2/bjq022.pdf}, interhash = {7bb57c4e38e3dad4b78881fc4dd8b33b}, intrahash = {abf433343d3b381c32eee81158659cbc}, journal = {Chemical Senses}, keywords = {ag_roessler zoo_2}, number = 4, pages = 323, timestamp = {2017-06-26T10:05:05.000+0200}, title = {Dummies versus Air Puffs: Efficient Stimulus Delivery for Low-Volatile Odors}, url = {/brokenurl# + http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjq022}, volume = 35, year = 2010 }