Determination of odor detection threshold in the Gottingen minipig.
The aim of the study was to examine the ability of Göttingen minipigs to acquire an olfaction-based operant conditioning task and to determine the detection threshold for ethyl acetate and ethanol. We used an automated olfactometer developed for rodents to train and test 14 pigs. Odor sampling and reliable responding were obtained after three to fifteen 160-trial sessions. Successful transfer of the task from ethyl acetate to ethanol was achieved in 1-4 sessions. Detection threshold for ethyl acetate varied between 10(-2)% and 10(-6)% v/v and for ethanol between 0.1% and 5 × 10(-6)% v/v. The results provide evidence that minipigs can successfully acquire 2-odorant discrimination using a food-rewarded instrumental conditioning paradigm for testing olfactory function. This olfactory discrimination paradigm provides reliable measures of olfactory sensitivity and thereby enables detection of changes in olfaction in a porcine model of Alzheimer's disease currently being developed.
Søndergaard
Lene Vammen
LV
Department of Human Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. lvoe@humgen.au.dk
Holm
Ida E
IE
Herskin
Mette S
MS
Dagnæs-Hansen
Frederik
F
Johansen
Marianne G
MG
Jørgensen
Arne Lund
AL
Ladewig
Jan
J
D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature
D000085:Acetates; D000431:Ethanol; C007650:ethyl acetate