  It was observed before that due to convergence in the olfactory system a
possible amplification can be as large as the degree of convergence. This is in
the case when a single impulse from the converging inputs is enough to trigger
the secondary neuron. On the other hand, if a number of impulses are required
for triggering, a gain in discriminating ability may be obtained along with
decrease in sensitivity gained due to the convergence. We discuss this
trade-off in terms of concrete estimates using olfactory sensory neuron and the
set of its receptor proteins as an example of system with convergence.
