Removal of the accessory olfactory bulbs promotes maternal behavior in virgin rabbits.
Virgin rabbits exposed to foster pups for 14 days did not show maternal responsiveness. However, surgical removal of the accessory olfactory bulbs (AOB) activated maternal responsiveness (crouching over the litter inside the nest box for about 3min, which is the normal duration of a nursing bout) in 37% of virgin rabbits (P < 0.007). This behavior appeared abruptly and was first observed between days 3 and 13 of pup exposure. This variation in the latency to respond maternally was not related with the number of sniffings or entrances into the nest box displayed by a female on the days that preceded crouching over the litter. Maternal responsiveness was not observed in any AOB-lesioned animals that were also ovariectomized (P < 0.02 versus AOB-lesioned with ovaries). These results indicate a tonic inhibitory action of the AOB over the expression of maternal behavior in virgin rabbits and a stimulation of maternal responsiveness by ovarian hormones following AOB lesions.
González-Mariscal
Gabriela
G
Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-UAT, Apdo. Postal 62, Tlaxcala 90000, Tlaxcala, Mexico. gglezm@prodigy.net.mx
Chirino
Rosario
R
Beyer
Carlos
C
Rosenblatt
Jay S
JS
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D012931:Social Environment; D013997:Time Factors