Sensory neurobiology: demystifying the sick sense

Thomas Bozza

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.003

Sensory neurobiology: demystifying the sick sense

Curr Biol. 2015 Feb 16;25(4):R153-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.003.

Author

Thomas Bozza¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 25689911
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.003

Abstract

The vomeronasal organ, a sensory structure within the olfactory system, detects chemical signals that affect social and sexual behaviors and that elicit responses to predator odors. A recent study demonstrates that innate avoidance of sick conspecifics requires an intact vomeronasal organ, expanding the repertoire of biological functions known to be mediated by this olfactory subsystem.

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MeSH terms

Animals
Male
Mice / physiology*
Odorants*
Olfactory Perception*
Social Behavior*
Vomeronasal Organ / physiology*