Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization
Navigating an odor landscape is a critical behavior for the survival of many species, including mice. An ethologically relevant mouse behavior is locating food using information about odor concentration. To approximate this behavior, we used an open field odor-based spot-finding task indoors with li...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2020.00218/full |
| _version_ | 1818037706241867776 |
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| author | Annie Liu Annie Liu Andrew E. Papale James Hengenius Khusbu Patel Bard Ermentrout Bard Ermentrout Nathan N. Urban Nathan N. Urban |
| author_facet | Annie Liu Annie Liu Andrew E. Papale James Hengenius Khusbu Patel Bard Ermentrout Bard Ermentrout Nathan N. Urban Nathan N. Urban |
| author_sort | Annie Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Navigating an odor landscape is a critical behavior for the survival of many species, including mice. An ethologically relevant mouse behavior is locating food using information about odor concentration. To approximate this behavior, we used an open field odor-based spot-finding task indoors with little wind, examining navigation strategies as mice search for and approach an odor source. After mice were trained to navigate to odor sources paired with food reward, we observed behavioral changes consistent with localization 10–45 cm away from the source. These behaviors included orientation toward the source, decreased velocity, and increased exploration time. We also found that the amplitude of ‘casting,’ which we define as lateral back and forth movement of the nose, increased with proximity to the source. Based on these observations, we created a concentration-sensitive agent-based model to simulate mouse behavior. This model provided evidence for a binaral-sniffing strategy (inter-nostril comparison of concentration in a single sniff) and a serial-sniffing strategy (sampling concentration, moving in space, and then sampling again). Serial-sniffing may be accomplished at farther distances by moving the body and at closer distances by moving the head (casting). Together, these results elucidate components of behavioral strategies for odor-based navigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:31:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d84c5e1d1f96490d8b1ffe004fc89563 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:31:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-d84c5e1d1f96490d8b1ffe004fc895632022-12-22T01:57:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2020-03-011410.3389/fnins.2020.00218522611Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source LocalizationAnnie Liu0Annie Liu1Andrew E. Papale2James Hengenius3Khusbu Patel4Bard Ermentrout5Bard Ermentrout6Nathan N. Urban7Nathan N. Urban8Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesCenter for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesCenter for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesCenter for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesNavigating an odor landscape is a critical behavior for the survival of many species, including mice. An ethologically relevant mouse behavior is locating food using information about odor concentration. To approximate this behavior, we used an open field odor-based spot-finding task indoors with little wind, examining navigation strategies as mice search for and approach an odor source. After mice were trained to navigate to odor sources paired with food reward, we observed behavioral changes consistent with localization 10–45 cm away from the source. These behaviors included orientation toward the source, decreased velocity, and increased exploration time. We also found that the amplitude of ‘casting,’ which we define as lateral back and forth movement of the nose, increased with proximity to the source. Based on these observations, we created a concentration-sensitive agent-based model to simulate mouse behavior. This model provided evidence for a binaral-sniffing strategy (inter-nostril comparison of concentration in a single sniff) and a serial-sniffing strategy (sampling concentration, moving in space, and then sampling again). Serial-sniffing may be accomplished at farther distances by moving the body and at closer distances by moving the head (casting). Together, these results elucidate components of behavioral strategies for odor-based navigation.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2020.00218/fullolfactionnavigationcastingbinaral-olfactionbinaral-sniffingserial-sniffing |
| spellingShingle | Annie Liu Annie Liu Andrew E. Papale James Hengenius Khusbu Patel Bard Ermentrout Bard Ermentrout Nathan N. Urban Nathan N. Urban Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization Frontiers in Neuroscience olfaction navigation casting binaral-olfaction binaral-sniffing serial-sniffing |
| title | Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization |
| title_full | Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization |
| title_fullStr | Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization |
| title_short | Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization |
| title_sort | mouse navigation strategies for odor source localization |
| topic | olfaction navigation casting binaral-olfaction binaral-sniffing serial-sniffing |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2020.00218/full |
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