The Surprising Link Between Smell, Sound, and Emotions

New research reveals how our senses intersect to shape our social behavior, using mouse maternal instincts as a model.

Imagine attending a dinner party without being able to smell the food or hear the dinner bell. For individuals with developmental disorders like autism, this sensory disconnection can be a reality. But exactly how do our senses merge and influence each other in the brain?

Uncovering the Neural Pathways

Professor Stephen Shea and graduate student Alexandra Nowlan from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory explored this question by tracing how smell and hearing interact in mouse brains during pup retrieval, a maternal behavior that requires both senses.

Their findings revealed a surprising connection between the basal amygdala (BA), involved in processing social and emotional signals, and the auditory cortex (AC), the brain’s hearing center.

The Role of the Basal Amygdala

During pup retrieval, BA neurons carry smell signals to the AC, where they merge with incoming sound signals and influence the animal’s response to future sounds. This discovery sheds light on how sensory processing shapes behavior and has implications for understanding autism and neurodegenerative conditions.

A New Understanding of Sensory Integration

Shea’s lab is now exploring how different brain regions connect and interact with each other. Their work may lead to a better understanding of how autism affects social cue interpretation and provide answers to fundamental questions about how our senses inform our connections with others and the world.

Share Your Thoughts

How do you think this research can impact our understanding of autism and sensory integration? Share your comments below!