Olfactory cortex output pathways exhibit robust differences in their ability to drive learned aversion

Abstract

The olfactory (piriform) cortex contains a large diversity of neural cell types, defined by their molecular identity, morphology, functional properties and projection target specificity. How these distinct neural cell types contribute to the control of olfactory-driven behaviors remains unknown. Here, we use a behavioral task in which optogenetic activation of subpopulations of piriform neurons is associated with an unconditioned aversive stimulus. We find that piriform neurons projecting to the olfactory bulb or the medial prefrontal cortex efficiently drive a learned escape behavior. In contrast, neurons projecting to the cortical amygdala or the lateral entorhinal cortex failed to support a behavioral response. Our results suggest that different piriform neural subnetworks exhibit robust differences in their ability to relate neural activity to behavioral output.