title: A pheromone to behave, a pheromone to learn: the rabbit mammary pheromone.
abstract: Birth is part of a continuum and is a major developmental change. Newborns need to adapt rapidly to the environment in terms of physiology and behaviour, and ability to locate the maternal source of milk is vital. Mechanisms have evolved resulting in the emission of olfactory cues by the mother and the processing of these cues by the young. Here, we focus on some sensory, cognitive and behavioural strategies developed by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that optimize the early development of offspring. In this species, chemosensory communication between the mother and young plays a critical role in eliciting adaptive neonatal responses. In particular, lactating females release a molecule, the mammary pheromone, which has several functional impacts. It triggers orocephalic responses involved in the quick localization of nipples and sucking. Moreover, this unconditioned signal promotes rapid appetitive learning of novel odorants, acting as a potent organizer of neonatal cognition. The mammary-pheromone-induced odour memory requires consolidation/reconsolidation processes to be maintained in the long term. Finally, as this mode of conditioning also promotes learning of mixtures of odorants, it supports investigations related to the capacity of neonatal olfaction to extract biological value from the complex environment.
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France. gerard.coureaud@u-bourgogne.fr
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coureaud
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charra
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Datiche
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sinding
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas-Danguin
authors.forename: Solène
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Languille
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hars
authors.forename: Benoist
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schaal
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones