Beyond recognizing odors, a single neuron controls reactions
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 14:49
in Biology & Nature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Babies will smile when they catch the scent of vanilla, but a whiff of rotting meat will send them into fits. From people to mice and flies to worms, animals of all kinds are born with likes and dislikes thanks to the evolutionary wisdom collected in their genes. But new research shows that some preferences are still surprisingly flexible at even the most basic level — that of the sensory neuron itself — and that our nervous system may be even more adaptable than we thought.