Neonatal 6-hydroxydopa alters conspecific odor investigation by male rats.
Odor-guided behavior was examined in male rats injected at birth and 48 h later with either the catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (60 micrograms/g, i.p.) or vehicle. In odor preference tests administered 8 or 74 days postnatally, drug-treated animals avoided novel odors which were neutral for controls and showed reduced preference for conspecific nest odors. In emergence tests administered 73-75 days postnatally, odors from an anesthetized female reduced approach latency and increased investigation of familiar conspecific odors for control but not drug-treated males. Neonatal drug treatment decreased adult olfactory cortex norepinephrine (NE) levels by 50%, but did not significantly influence either cardiac NE or olfactory cortex dopamine. The results imply that brain NE facilitates attraction to familiar conspecific odors.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D009812:Odorants; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*
C001388:6-hydroxydopa; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine