# Electrophysiological representations of odor in the human brain

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $680,384

## Abstract

Olfactory perception relies on the brain’s ability to extract and represent different features of an odor stimulus.
For example, stimulus intensity and identity are fundamental stimulus features that must be segmented for
accurate perception; the same odor can be encountered in the environment at different strengths. Rodent work
has identified a number of neural correlates of odor concentration and chemical structure, but it remains
unclear how these representations relate to perceptual intensity and identity. A major gap in our understanding
of odor perception is the missing link between direct perceptual ratings (easily obtainable in humans) and
neural responses (much easier to obtain in rodents). Research proposed here aims to determine how odor
intensity and identity are presented in human brain, both in human piriform cortex and across distinct
networks defined by low and high frequency oscillations. We will accomplish these aims using direct invasive
recordings of neural activity from human olfactory cortex, while single-trial perceptual ratings are collected.
Our findings will reveal how odor features are represented in the human brain, contributing fundamental basic
understanding of the olfactory system. Olfactory brain areas are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such
as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and epilepsy. Increased understanding of coding mechanisms in
these areas, and interactions between these areas and the rest of the brain may lead to better understanding of
the mechanisms of diseases that involve olfactory cortical areas.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10851503
- **Project number:** 1R01DC021663-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christina Maria Zelano
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $680,384
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-01 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10851503

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10851503, Electrophysiological representations of odor in the human brain (1R01DC021663-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10851503. Licensed CC0.

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