Neuron structure variations impact sensory information processing in mice

Neuron structure variations impact sensory information processing in mice

Closely related subtypes of dopamine-releasing neurons may play entirely separate roles in processing sensory information, depending on their physical structure.

Two Dopamine Neuron Subtypes Process Smell in Different Ways

Closely related dopamine-releasing neurons in the olfactory bulb behave in fundamentally different ways depending on their physical structure. One subtype releases neurotransmitters from dendrites instead of axons—an unusual mechanism that allows the cells to act locally and even self-inhibit.