Neuroscience Applications
Aurora Scientific has developed innovative test systems used in olfactory research to validate odors presented to specimens and to track pheromone and plume dispersion. In addition, Aurora Scientific utilizes their Dual-Mode muscle levers as mechanical stimulators to provide a precise, controlled force output for use by researchers measuring neuronal response to touch, pain and stretch. Furthermore, many neurophysiologists study an interdisciplinary field of neuroscience and muscle physiology looking at neural activation and sensory feedback of muscle tissue. Aurora Scientific’s Dual-Mode levers aid in characterizing muscle mechanics in models of neural regeneration and disease.
Key Aurora Scientific neuroscience research applications are listed below.
Olfaction
Understanding how the brain and nervous system process olfactory stimuli requires very precise instrumentation. Odor stimuli are incredibly dynamic as their profile and composition can move and change very quickly. Aurora Scientific instrumentation has been used by multiple Nobel Laureates to sense and quantify olfactory stimulus dynamics with the highest temporal resolution available.
Common Applications:
- neural response
- odour dynamics
- temporal coding
- olfactory repair
Suggested Resources:
- Schoonover et al. “Representational drift in primary olfactory cortex” Nature (2021) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03628-7
- Schoonover et al. “Representational drift in primary olfactory cortex” Nature (2021) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03628-7
- Perl et al. “The contribution of temporal coding to odor coding and odor perception in humans” eLife (2020) DOI: 10.7554/eLife.49734
Pheromone & Plume Tracking
The way insects and animals are able to track plumes and pheromones has far reaching implications on the survival of crops, the balance of the species and ultimately humanity. Tracking and understanding how these dynamic stimuli behave requires sensitive instruments with high temporal resolution. Aurora Scientific has designed specialized instruments specifically for plume tracking research.
Common Applications:
- odor plume tracking
- insect flight behaviour
- pheromone trails
- robotic plume tracking
- source location
- plume release
Suggested Resources:
- Suver et al. “Encoding of Wind Direction by Central Neurons in Drosophila” Neuron (2019) DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.012
- Cheng et al. “Olfactory and Neuromodulatory Signals Reverse Visual Object Avoidance to Approach in Drosophila” Current Biology (2019) DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.010
Pain & Nociception
To understand neural responses such as pain and touch, it is necessary to apply and mimic tactile stimuli in a manner that is repeatable. Inevitable variability comes with the application of manual stimuli through the use of conventional von Frey hairs. Leading researchers in the field of nociception trust Aurora Scientific mechanical stimulators because they are versatile enough for use in a broad range of protocols and provide precise, reproducible results.
Common Applications:
- pain & sensory research
- mechanical nociception
- tactile discrimination
- neural communication
- vibrotactile stimuli
Popular Systems:
Suggested Resources:
- Hill et al. “The signaling lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate regulates mechanical pain” eLife (2018) DOI: 10.7554/eLife.33285
- Al-Basha et al. “Intermittent Failure of Spike Propagation in Primary Afferent Neurons during Tactile Stimulation” The Journal of Neuroscience (2019) DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0975-19.2019
- Emanuel et al. “Cortical Responses to Touch Reflect Subcortical Integration of LTMR Signals” Nature (2021) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04094-x
Explore Neuroscience Content
Scents of Security: Emerging Olfaction Applications with Biorobots
The following publication review showcases several new and exciting findings in the olfactory sciences, highlighting how our instruments helped these researchers stir up the lab. The natural world often serves as inspiration for innovation, and insects – specifically their olfactory systems – have become a recent research topic of interest. Given the remarkable sensitivity of insect odor detection systems, the potential applications of this budding field are numerous.
Execution and Validation of Odor Stimuli with Aurora Scientific’s Olfactometer and miniPID
During this virtual demonstration, Aurora Scientific will present the typical applications, capabilities, and overall use of the 220A Olfactometer and 200C miniPID in the field of olfaction.
Neuronal Reorganization in Response to Odor
This publication review takes a look at two recent studies that examined the mouse olfactory bulb with help from Aurora Scientific olfaction instruments.
Best of 2021: Neuroscience – Olfaction and Somatosensation
Spatial arrangement of Ret+ and TrkB+ Meissner afferent cutaneous endings. Image courtesy of Neubarth et al., 2020. This publication review summarizes some of the