How do researchers study the mechanism of predictive coding?
Learn how researchers investigate the mechanism of “predictive coding,” by which the olfactory area of the brain is able to anticipate specific smells.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: The thought of spoiled milk is enough to make most people take a quick sniff before they sip. New research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine shows that the human brain actually prepares itself to receive specific smells, such as spoiled milk, through predictive coding in the brain's olfactory system. That's the area of the brain associated with the sense of smell.
The findings, published in the journal Neuron, suggest that the brain stores away templates of specific smells through predictive coding.
CHRISTINA ZELANO: The goal of this study was to directly ask whether the brain forms predictive representations or templates of expected odor stimuli even before any smell reaches the nose.
NARRATOR For the study, post-doctorial researcher Christina Zelano and professor Jay Gottfried used an MRI scanner to measure brain activity while subjects were administered different smelling tasks.
JAY GOTTFRIED: We used a series of different odor stimuli, kind of watermelon-like smell, a play-doh-like smell, and then a mixture of the two.
ZELANO: OK, we're going to start collecting images now.
TEST SUBJECT: OK.
GOTTFRIED: Subject was informed to pay attention to the watermelon note or the play-doh note. So this established their expectation for what was to come. After a period of a few seconds, they were given their cue to make a sniff, and then they either received the watermelon or the play-doh smell.
ZELANO: All the portions of olfactory cortex that we examined showed evidence for predictive coding before the arrival of the odor, so activity patterns in response to trials in which the target was the same were more correlated compared to trials in which the target was different.
NARRATOR: This is the first study to confirm the existence of predictive coding mechanisms through odur stimuli, revealing an important behavioral advantage that can help speed up your reaction time. Something to think about the next time you reach for a container of milk.
ZELANO: Our study indicates that if your brain can successfully form a template of a rotten milk smell, then you will more accurately determine whether or not that milk is rotten, and therefore, you're less likely to get sick.
The findings, published in the journal Neuron, suggest that the brain stores away templates of specific smells through predictive coding.
CHRISTINA ZELANO: The goal of this study was to directly ask whether the brain forms predictive representations or templates of expected odor stimuli even before any smell reaches the nose.
NARRATOR For the study, post-doctorial researcher Christina Zelano and professor Jay Gottfried used an MRI scanner to measure brain activity while subjects were administered different smelling tasks.
JAY GOTTFRIED: We used a series of different odor stimuli, kind of watermelon-like smell, a play-doh-like smell, and then a mixture of the two.
ZELANO: OK, we're going to start collecting images now.
TEST SUBJECT: OK.
GOTTFRIED: Subject was informed to pay attention to the watermelon note or the play-doh note. So this established their expectation for what was to come. After a period of a few seconds, they were given their cue to make a sniff, and then they either received the watermelon or the play-doh smell.
ZELANO: All the portions of olfactory cortex that we examined showed evidence for predictive coding before the arrival of the odor, so activity patterns in response to trials in which the target was the same were more correlated compared to trials in which the target was different.
NARRATOR: This is the first study to confirm the existence of predictive coding mechanisms through odur stimuli, revealing an important behavioral advantage that can help speed up your reaction time. Something to think about the next time you reach for a container of milk.
ZELANO: Our study indicates that if your brain can successfully form a template of a rotten milk smell, then you will more accurately determine whether or not that milk is rotten, and therefore, you're less likely to get sick.