Extracellular multi-unit recording from the olfactory nerve of teleosts

• Published in: Journal of Visualized Experiments
• Main Authors: Hubbard, Peter, Velez, Zélia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MyJove Corporation 2020
• Subjects: Animals; Carbon dioxide; Electrophysiological phenomena; Extracellular space; Fishes; Glutamine; Hydrogen-ion concentration; Leucine; Olfactory nerve; Seawater; Smell; Software; Bia; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/14946; https://doi.org/10.3791/60962

Recent studies have shown that ocean acidification affects olfactory-driven behavior in fish. This may be due in part to a reduction in olfactory sensitivity in high PCO2/low pH water. To assess the effects of ocean acidification, or olfactory sensitivity in marine fish in general, we propose that extracellular multi-unit recording from the olfactory nerve is the method of choice. Although invasive, it is sensitive, robust, reproducible and independent of external salinity (unlike the electro-olfactogram [EOG], for example). Furthermore, it records a primary sensory input into the CNS, prior to any central processing. We show that this method can show a reduction in olfactory sensitivity that is both temporary and odorant-dependent, using a range of amino acids to construct concentration-response curves and calculate the thresholds of detection. FCT: PTDC/BIA-BMA/30262/2017/ DL57/2016/CP1361/CT0041 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion