Projections of olfactory bulbs to the olfactory and vomeronasal cortices

Projections from the olfactory bulbs have been traditionally described as 'nontopographically organized'. Olfactory and vomeronasal projections have been reported to reach nonoverlapping cortical areas. Four receptor expression zones have been described in the olfactory epithelium, maintained in the main olfactory bulb, but none in the olfactory cortex. Recent data have demonstrated convergence in the basal telencephalon of olfactory and vomeronasal projections. Injections of methanesulfonate hydroxystilbamidine (FluoroGold) in the chemosensory cortex were done to map retrograde labeling in the bulbs. Topography was not observed in the four zones of the main olfactory bulb. Areas of the rostral telencephalon were shown to receive simultaneous inputs from the main and accessory olfactory bulbs.