Skip to main content

Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Liu, A; Papale, AE; Hengenius, J; Patel, K; Ermentrout, B; Urban, NN
Published in: Frontiers in neuroscience
January 2020

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.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Frontiers in neuroscience

DOI

EISSN

1662-453X

ISSN

1662-4548

Publication Date

January 2020

Volume

14

Start / End Page

218

Related Subject Headings

  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1109 Neurosciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Liu, A., Papale, A. E., Hengenius, J., Patel, K., Ermentrout, B., & Urban, N. N. (2020). Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 218. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00218
Liu, Annie, Andrew E. Papale, James Hengenius, Khusbu Patel, Bard Ermentrout, and Nathan N. Urban. “Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization.Frontiers in Neuroscience 14 (January 2020): 218. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00218.
Liu A, Papale AE, Hengenius J, Patel K, Ermentrout B, Urban NN. Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization. Frontiers in neuroscience. 2020 Jan;14:218.
Liu, Annie, et al. “Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization.Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 14, Jan. 2020, p. 218. Epmc, doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00218.
Liu A, Papale AE, Hengenius J, Patel K, Ermentrout B, Urban NN. Mouse Navigation Strategies for Odor Source Localization. Frontiers in neuroscience. 2020 Jan;14:218.

Published In

Frontiers in neuroscience

DOI

EISSN

1662-453X

ISSN

1662-4548

Publication Date

January 2020

Volume

14

Start / End Page

218

Related Subject Headings

  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1109 Neurosciences