Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Humans take their sense of smell for granted, but it is the major sensory system for most animals. There has recently been a molecular genetics-led revolution in our understanding of this previously neglected sense. Now a major focus of research effort is devoted to understanding the processing of odour information and the role of learning in odour perception. In particular, recent findings have shed light on the diversity of specialised chemosensory subsystems that mediate innate behavioural and physiological responses to pheromones.
My group's research is focused on investigating the neural basis of learning in the olfactory bulb, at the first stage of olfactory processing of odour information. We are particularly interested in the neural basis of mate recognition in mice, which is one of the few mammalian examples in which learning at the behavioural level can be explained by changes at synapses between identified neurons in the brain. Previous work has shown that memory formation depends on the association of chemosensory input to the vomeronasal system and the high levels of noradrenaline that occur in the olfactory bulb at mating. These are associated with dramatic changes in the functioning of the accessory olfactory neural network that selectively gates transmission of the learned information. Current work is aimed at understanding the receptor mechanisms by which noradrenaline imprints the neural system and how changes in feedback inhibition shape synchronized oscillatory activity of the accessory olfactory bulb mitral cells to gate sensory transmission to central brain areas, such as the medial amygdala and hypothalamus.
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THE ROLE OF SYNCHRONIZED OSCILLATORY NEURAL ACTIVITY IN VOMERONASAL CHEMOSENSATION
1/09/07 → 1/09/10
Project: Research
Research output
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Mammalian Pheromones
Brennan, P., Jul 2018, Encyclopedia of Reproduction. 2nd ed. Academic Press, Vol. 6. p. 472-479 8 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
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Odour receptor 37 ligands modulates activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in anxiety-like contexts but with no effect on behaviour.
Davies, J. R., Palacci, O., Purawijaya, D., Robinson, E. S. J., Mendl, M. T., Lightman, S. L. & Brennan, P. A., 1 Mar 2018, In: Chemical Senses.Research output: Contribution to journal › Special issue (Academic Journal) › peer-review
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OR37 ligand exposure reduces cFos expression in the pvn of the hypothalamus, following open field exposure, without affecting behavioural measures of anxiety
Purawijaya, D., Davies, J. R., Robinson, E. S. J., Mendl, M. T., Lightman, S. L. & Brennan, P. A., 1 Mar 2018, OR37 ligands exposure reduces activation of the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus following anxiogenic behavioural tests. (Chemical Senses).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)