Study shows how neurons enable us to know smells we like and dislike, whether to approach or retreat
Monday, October 7, 2013 - 21:00
in Biology & Nature
What underlying biological mechanisms account for our seemingly instant, almost unconscious ability to determine how attractive (or repulsive) a particular smell is? New research reveals a set of cells in the fruit fly brain that respond specifically to food odors. The degree to which these neurons respond when the fly is presented different food odors predicts "incredibly well how much the flies will 'like' a given odor."