Selective lifelong suppression of an odor processing channel in response to critical period experience.

Lifelong suppression of Or42a odor responses results from critical period odor exposure in Drosophila olfactory circuits, with lasting effects on sensory sensitivity.

• Why it matters: Understanding how early sensory experiences shape neural circuits is crucial for insights into sensory plasticity and long-term behavioral adaptations. This work addresses the gap in knowledge about the circuit-specific and long-lasting consequences of critical period exposure.
• What they did: The study used two-photon Ca2+ imaging and genetically-encoded voltage indicators to measure odor-evoked responses, along with connectome analysis, focusing on Or42a and Or43b OSNs after critical period odor exposure.
• The result: Findings show that Or42a OSN responses are permanently suppressed, with pruning being highly selective for Or42a terminals, while Or43b OSNs retain sensitivity, highlighting circuit-specific and lifelong effects of early odor experience.