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Griffiths GC, Pasch B. Variation in responses to conspecific and heterospecific advertisement vocalizations in sympatric grasshopper mice (Onychomys). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 156:524-533. [PMID: 39024385 DOI: 10.1121/10.0026540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Advertisement vocalizations that function in mate acquisition and resource defense within species may also mediate behavioral interactions among species. While olfactory signals play an important role in mate choice and territoriality in rodents, less is known about the function of acoustic signals in influencing interspecific interactions. In this study, we used playback experiments in the laboratory to assess the function of long-distance vocalizations within and among three sympatric species of grasshopper mice. We found that, within each species, individuals of both sexes varied widely in spontaneous vocal behavior and response to playback. The largest species (Onychomys leucogaster) was most responsive to conspecifics, but smaller O. arenicola and O. torridus exhibited no clear pattern in their vocal behavior and were even responsive to the white noise controls. Our results indicate that grasshopper mice are broadly responsive to a range of sounds that resemble calls and that long-distance vocalizations function primarily as signals that facilitate localization for subsequent close-distance assessment by both sexes in various social contexts. Variation in vocal responses among species may depend on competitive dominance, degree of interaction, acoustic similarity, or behavioral changes resulting from captivity. Replicating playback experiments in the field will help validate whether the observed variation in the laboratory reflects ecologically relevant patterns in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C Griffiths
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA
| | - Bret Pasch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
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2
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Ventura-Aquino E, Ågmo A. The elusive concept of sexual motivation: can it be anchored in the nervous system? Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1285810. [PMID: 38046659 PMCID: PMC10691110 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1285810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual motivation is an abstract concept referring to the mechanisms determining the responsivity to sexually relevant stimuli. This responsivity determines the likelihood of producing a sexual response and the intensity of that response. Both responsivity to stimuli and the likelihood of making a response as well as the intensity of response are characteristics of an individual. Therefore, we need to assume that the concept of sexual motivation materializes in physiological mechanisms within the individual. The aim of the present communication is to analyze the requisites for the endeavor to materialize sexual motivation. The first requisite is to provide an operational definition, making the concept quantifiable. We show that parameters of copulatory behavior are inappropriate. We argue that the intensity of sexual approach behaviors provides the best estimate of sexual motivation in non-human animals, whereas the magnitude of genital responses is an exquisite indicator of human sexual motivation. Having assured how to quantify sexual motivation, we can then proceed to the search for physiological or neurobiological underpinnings. In fact, sexual motivation only manifests itself in animals exposed to appropriate amounts of gonadal hormones. In female rats, the estrogen receptor α in the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus is necessary for the expression of sexual approach behaviors. In male rats, androgen receptors within the medial preoptic area are crucial. Thus, in rats sexual motivation can be localized to specific brain structures, and even to specific cells within these structures. In humans, it is not even known if sexual motivation is materialized in the brain or in peripheral structures. Substantial efforts have been made to determine the relationship between the activity of neurotransmitters and the intensity of sexual motivation, particularly in rodents. The results of this effort have been meager. Likewise, efforts of finding drugs to stimulate sexual motivation, particularly in women complaining of low sexual desire, have produced dismal results. In sum, it appears that the abstract concept of sexual motivation can be reliably quantified, and the neurobiological bases can be described in non-human animals. In humans, objective quantification is feasible, but the neurobiological substrate remains enigmatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ventura-Aquino
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
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3
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Hoglen NEG, Manoli DS. Cupid's quiver: Integrating sensory cues in rodent mating systems. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:944895. [PMID: 35958042 PMCID: PMC9358210 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.944895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, males and females exploit different mating strategies, display sex-typical behaviors, and use distinct systems to recognize ethologically relevant cues. Mate selection thus requires mutual recognition across diverse social interactions based on distinct sensory signals. These sex differences in courtship and mating behaviors correspond to differences in sensory systems and downstream neural substrates engaged to recognize and respond to courtship signals. In many rodents, males tend to rely heavily on volatile olfactory and pheromone cues, while females appear to be guided more by a combination of these chemosensory signals with acoustic cues in the form of ultrasonic vocalizations. The mechanisms by which chemical and acoustic cues are integrated to control behavior are understudied in mating but are known to be important in the control of maternal behaviors. Socially monogamous species constitute a behaviorally distinct group of rodents. In these species, anatomic differences between males and females outside the nervous system are less prominent than in species with non-monogamous mating systems, and both sexes engage in more symmetric social behaviors and form attachments. Nevertheless, despite the apparent similarities in behaviors displayed by monogamous males and females, the circuitry supporting social, mating, and attachment behaviors in these species is increasingly thought to differ between the sexes. Sex differences in sensory modalities most important for mate recognition in across species are of particular interest and present a wealth of questions yet to be answered. Here, we discuss how distinct sensory cues may be integrated to drive social and attachment behaviors in rodents, and the differing roles of specific sensory systems in eliciting displays of behavior by females or males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerissa E G Hoglen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Devanand S Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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4
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Arakawa H, Higuchi Y. Exocrine scent marking: Coordinative role of arginine vasopressin in the systemic regulation of social signaling behaviors. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104597. [PMID: 35248677 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neurohypophysial hormone that coordinatively regulates central socio-emotional behavior and peripheral control of antidiuretic fluid homeostasis. Most mammals, including rodents, utilize exocrine or urine-contained scent marking as a social signaling tool that facilitates social adaptation. The exocrine scent marking behavior is postulated to fine-tune sensory and cognitive abilities to recognize key social features via exocrine/urinary olfactory cues and subsequently control exocrine deposition or urinary marking through the mediation of osmotic fluid balance. AVP is implicated as a major player in controlling both recognition and signaling responses. This review provides constructive hypotheses on the coordinative processes of the AVP neurohypophysial circuits in the systemic regulations of fluid control and social-communicative behavior, via the expression of exocrine scent marking, and further emphasizes a potential role of AVP in a common mechanism underlying social communication in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Depertment of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Yuki Higuchi
- Depertment of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
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5
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Aoki M, Gamayun I, Wyatt A, Grünewald R, Simon-Thomas M, Philipp SE, Hummel O, Wagenpfeil S, Kattler K, Gasparoni G, Walter J, Qiao S, Grattan DR, Boehm U. Prolactin-sensitive olfactory sensory neurons regulate male preference in female mice by modulating responses to chemosensory cues. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg4074. [PMID: 34623921 PMCID: PMC8500514 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg4074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Chemosensory cues detected in the nose need to be integrated with the hormonal status to trigger appropriate behaviors, but the neural circuits linking the olfactory and the endocrine system are insufficiently understood. Here, we characterize olfactory sensory neurons in the murine nose that respond to the pituitary hormone prolactin. Deletion of prolactin receptor in these cells results in impaired detection of social odors and blunts male preference in females. The prolactin-responsive olfactory sensory neurons exhibit a distinctive projection pattern to the brain that is similar across different individuals and express a limited subset of chemosensory receptors. Prolactin modulates the responses within these neurons to discrete chemosensory cues contained in male urine, providing a mechanism by which the hormonal status can be directly linked with distinct olfactory cues to generate appropriate behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Aoki
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Igor Gamayun
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Amanda Wyatt
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ramona Grünewald
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Martin Simon-Thomas
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stephan E. Philipp
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Hummel
- Faculty of Computer Science, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Wagenpfeil
- Institute for Medical Biometry, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics, Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Kattler
- Department of Genetics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Gilles Gasparoni
- Department of Genetics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jörn Walter
- Department of Genetics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Sen Qiao
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - David R. Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ulrich Boehm
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
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6
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The Role of Urine in Semiochemical Communication between Females and Males of Domestic Dog ( Canis familiaris) during Estrus. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112112. [PMID: 33203031 PMCID: PMC7696428 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Canine reproductive behavior can be easily observed; however, the mechanism of semiochemical signaling in this species is still not well understood. Despite numerous studies, no efficient, artificial canine sex pheromones are available. In most studies of canine semiochemical communication, female urine was believed to be a source of volatile compounds that attract males. We hypothesized that urine is also a source of compounds that are very important in the process of the mating decision but are not so volatile. These compounds are collected by licking urine or the vulva and are transferred into the vomeronasal organ. Such behavior always precedes the male’s mating decision. In two experiments, we assessed the reactions of male dogs in response to air containing odor molecules from estrous females’ urine, from a live female in estrus, and from food, as well as during direct sniffing of urine samples from females in estrus, in anestrus, from male dogs and from humans. It was concluded that urine odor is not used for long-distance semiochemical communication in dogs but rather for close distance signaling. Abstract This study aimed to assess the mechanisms of semiochemical signal detection in dogs. In the first experiment, five males were exposed to volatile semiochemicals emitted by a live female in estrus and the female’s urine sample collected during estrus. The odor of canine food and clean air were used as controls. In the second experiment, 25 males could directly sniff and lick the urine samples from females in estrus, from females in anestrus, from males and from humans, placed in a lineup. Sniffing, licking and salivation, as well as keeping dogs at different distances from the source of odor, were recorded in both experiments. Experiment 1 showed that food odor was sniffed by males longer than estrous urine. Volatile semiochemicals from females in estrus evoked interest in males but without visual cues did not cause overt symptoms of sexual arousal. In Experiment 2, the estrous urine evoked interest in males and provoked significantly longer sniffing. Licking accompanied by salivation was observed in all instances only during direct contact with estrous urine. The results suggest a complex character of detection of female reproductive status, in which both volatile and nonvolatile compounds emitted by females and present in female urine are involved.
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Hernandez Scudder ME, Weinberg A, Thompson L, Crews D, Gore AC. Prenatal EDCs Impair Mate and Odor Preference and Activation of the VMN in Male and Female Rats. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5874569. [PMID: 32692847 PMCID: PMC7448938 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) disrupt hormone-dependent biological processes. We examined how prenatal exposure to EDCs act in a sex-specific manner to disrupt social and olfactory behaviors in adulthood and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Pregnant rat dams were injected daily from embryonic day 8 to 18 with 1 mg/kg Aroclor 1221 (A1221), 1 mg/kg vinclozolin, or the vehicle (6% DMSO in sesame oil). A1221 is a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (weakly estrogenic) while vinclozolin is a fungicide (anti-androgenic). Adult male offspring exposed to A1221 or vinclozolin, and females exposed to A1221, had impaired mate preference behavior when given a choice between 2 opposite-sex rats that differed by hormone status. A similar pattern of impairment was observed in an odor preference test for urine-soaked filter paper from the same rat groups. A habituation/dishabituation test revealed that all rats had normal odor discrimination ability. Because of the importance of the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial nucleus (VMNvl) in mate choice, expression of the immediate early gene product Fos was measured, along with its co-expression in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) cells. A1221 females with impaired mate and odor preference behavior also had increased neuronal activation in the VMNvl, although not specific to ERα-expressing neurons. Interestingly, males exposed to EDCs had normal Fos expression in this region, suggesting that other neurons and/or brain regions mediate these effects. The high conservation of hormonal, olfactory, and behavioral traits necessary for reproductive success means that EDC contamination and its ability to alter these traits has widespread effects on wildlife and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Weinberg
- Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Lindsay Thompson
- Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - David Crews
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Andrea C Gore
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
- Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
- Correspondence: Andrea C. Gore, PhD, University of Texas at Austin, 107 W. Dean Keeton St., Box C0875, Austin, TX, 78712. E-mail:
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8
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McCarthy EA, Naik AS, Coyne AF, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Effect of Ovarian Hormones and Mating Experience on the Preference of Female Mice to Investigate Male Urinary Pheromones. Chem Senses 2019; 43:97-104. [PMID: 29211837 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjx073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In female mice, the expression of receptive lordosis behavior requires estradiol and progesterone actions in the nervous system; however, the contribution of these hormones to females' motivation to seek out male pheromones is less clear. In an initial experiment, sexually naïve ovary-intact female mice preferred to investigate (make nasal contact with) testes-intact male as opposed to estrous female urine, provided they were in vaginal estrus. In a second experiment, groups of sexually naïve and mating-experienced, ovariectomized females were tested for urinary pheromone preference first without and then with ovarian hormone replacement. Without hormone replacement, sexually naïve ovariectomized females showed no preference for male over female urinary pheromones whereas mating-experienced females preferred to investigate male pheromones. Ovariectomized females in both groups preferred male over female urine after sequential s.c. injections with estradiol benzoate followed 2 days later with progesterone and after prolonged (7 days) exposure to estradiol alone. Our results indicate that in sexually naïve female mice estradiol, perhaps aided by progesterone, is required to motivate a preference to seek out male pheromones whereas after mating experience females' preference to investigate male pheromones persists even in the absence of ovarian hormone action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ajay S Naik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allison F Coyne
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James A Cherry
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Baum
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Le Moëne O, Ågmo A. The neuroendocrinology of sexual attraction. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 51:46-67. [PMID: 29288076 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Sexual attraction has two components: Emission of sexually attractive stimuli and responsiveness to these stimuli. In rodents, olfactory stimuli are necessary but not sufficient for attraction. We argue that body odors are far superior to odors from excreta (urine, feces) as sexual attractants. Body odors are produced by sebaceous glands all over the body surface and in specialized glands. In primates, visual stimuli, for example the sexual skin, are more important than olfactory. The role of gonadal hormones for the production of and responsiveness to odorants is well established. Both the androgen and the estrogen receptor α are important in male as well as in female rodents. Also in primates, gonadal hormones are necessary for the responsiveness to sexual attractants. In males, the androgen receptor is sufficient for sustaining responsiveness. In female non-human primates, estrogens are needed, whereas androgens seem to contribute to responsiveness in women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
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10
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Horne TJ, Ylönen H. HERITABILITIES OF DOMINANCE-RELATED TRAITS IN MALE BANK VOLES (CLETHRIONOMYS GLAREOLUS
). Evolution 2017; 52:894-899. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1998.tb03714.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/1997] [Accepted: 02/24/1998] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Taina J. Horne
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science; University of Jyväskylä; P.O. Box 35 FIN-40351 Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Hannu Ylönen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science; University of Jyväskylä; P.O. Box 35 FIN-40351 Jyväskylä Finland
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Baum MJ, Cherry JA. Processing by the main olfactory system of chemosignals that facilitate mammalian reproduction. Horm Behav 2015; 68:53-64. [PMID: 24929017 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Chemosignals and Reproduction". Most mammalian species possess two parallel circuits that process olfactory information. One of these circuits, the accessory system, originates with sensory neurons in the vomeronasal organ (VNO). This system has long been known to detect non-volatile pheromonal odorants from conspecifics that influence numerous aspects of social communication, including sexual attraction and mating as well as the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland. A second circuit, the main olfactory system, originates with sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE). This system detects a wide range of non-pheromonal odors relevant to survival (e.g., food and predator odors). Over the past decade evidence has accrued showing that the main olfactory system also detects a range of volatile odorants that function as pheromones to facilitate mate recognition and activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal neuroendocrine axis. We review early studies as well as the new literature supporting the view that the main olfactory system processes a variety of different pheromonal cues that facilitate mammalian reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Baum
- Departments of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - James A Cherry
- Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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12
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Sandnabba NK. Changes in male odours and urinary marking patterns due to inhibition of aggression in male mice. Behav Processes 2014; 12:349-61. [PMID: 24924693 DOI: 10.1016/0376-6357(86)90004-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/1985] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The effects of active inhibition of aggression on male odours and urinary marking patterns were studied in mice belonging to a highly aggressive strain the TA (Turku Aggressive), which has been developed by selective breeding through 37 generations. These males were defeated by trained fighters until they showed no aggression. Individually housed TA males served as controls. Mice from the parental or Normal Strain, which is intermediate in aggression, were exposed to the odours. The males from the Normal Strain were tested for aggression against male castrates to which urine from the two types of TA males or water had been applied. The urine from the highly aggressive control TA males evoked most aggression. The Normal males were later tested against castrates on soiled sawdust. Fewer attacks occured on sawdust soiled by the urine from the control TA males. The preferences for areas covered with soiled sawdust were also assessed. The males from the Normal Strain preferred areas soiled by the TA males trained to nonaggressiveness while the females preferred areas soiled by the highly aggressive control TA males. Subsequently the size and number of urinary marks deposited were examined. The TA males trained to nonaggressiveness voided urine in fewer but larger pools. The differences showed the same direction as those previously found between the TA and TNA strains, selectively bred for aggression and non-aggression, respectively. In mice the odour signals and urinary marking patterns seem to be correlated with the level of aggressiveness, either hereditarily determined or acquired through learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- N K Sandnabba
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi, Vartiovuorenkatu 1, SF-20700 Turku, Finland
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13
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Schwende FJ, Jorgenson JW, Novotny M. Possible chemical basis for histocompatibility-related mating preference in mice. J Chem Ecol 2013; 10:1603-15. [PMID: 24318394 DOI: 10.1007/bf00988428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/1983] [Revised: 04/02/1984] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution chromatographic profiles of urinary volatiles were quantitatively recorded and statistically evaluated for the female mice genetically differing in a small region of the major histocompatibility complex on the 17th chromosome. Both immature and estrogenized animals were evaluated. While there seem to be no specific volatile products of the histocompatibility genes, statistically significant differences were readily observed with the immature females of different haplotypes, involving the general range of secondary volatile metabolites. Their possible role in olfactory communication is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- F J Schwende
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 47405, Bloomington, Indiana
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14
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Castration, sexual experience, and female urine odor preferences in adult BDF1 male mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.3758/bf03336714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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15
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Behavioural methods used in rodent models of autism spectrum disorders: Current standards and new developments. Behav Brain Res 2013; 251:5-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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16
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Wöhr M, Roullet FI, Hung AY, Sheng M, Crawley JN. Communication impairments in mice lacking Shank1: reduced levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and scent marking behavior. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20631. [PMID: 21695253 PMCID: PMC3111434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2011] [Accepted: 05/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Core symptoms are abnormal reciprocal social interactions, qualitative impairments in communication, and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior with restricted interests. Candidate genes for autism include the SHANK gene family, as mutations in SHANK2 and SHANK3 have been detected in several autistic individuals. SHANK genes code for a family of scaffolding proteins located in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. To test the hypothesis that a mutation in SHANK1 contributes to the symptoms of autism, we evaluated Shank1(-/-) null mutant mice for behavioral phenotypes with relevance to autism, focusing on social communication. Ultrasonic vocalizations and the deposition of scent marks appear to be two major modes of mouse communication. Our findings revealed evidence for low levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and scent marks in Shank1(-/-) mice as compared to wildtype Shank1(+/+) littermate controls. Shank1(-/-) pups emitted fewer vocalizations than Shank1(+/+) pups when isolated from mother and littermates. In adulthood, genotype affected scent marking behavior in the presence of female urinary pheromones. Adult Shank1(-/-) males deposited fewer scent marks in proximity to female urine than Shank1(+/+) males. Call emission in response to female urinary pheromones also differed between genotypes. Shank1(+/+) mice changed their calling pattern dependent on previous female interactions, while Shank1(-/-) mice were unaffected, indicating a failure of Shank1(-/-) males to learn from a social experience. The reduced levels of ultrasonic vocalizations and scent marking behavior in Shank1(-/-) mice are consistent with a phenotype relevant to social communication deficits in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wöhr
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Florence I. Roullet
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Albert Y. Hung
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Morgan Sheng
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline N. Crawley
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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Henley CL, Nunez AA, Clemens LG. Hormones of choice: the neuroendocrinology of partner preference in animals. Front Neuroendocrinol 2011; 32:146-54. [PMID: 21377487 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2011.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Revised: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Partner preference behavior can be viewed as the outcome of a set of hierarchical choices made by an individual in anticipation of mating. The first choice involves approaching a conspecific verses an individual of another species. As a rule, a conspecific is picked as a mating partner, but early life experiences can alter that outcome. Within a species, an animal then has the choice between a member of the same sex or the opposite sex. The final choice is for a specific individual. This review will focus on the middle choice, the decision to mate with either a male or a female. Available data from rats, mice, and ferrets point to the importance of perinatal exposure to steroid hormones in the development of partner preferences, as well as the importance of activational effects in adulthood. However, the particular effects of this hormone exposure show species differences in both the specific steroid hormone responsible for the organization of behavior and the developmental period when it has its effect. Where these hormones have an effect in the brain is mostly unknown, but regions involved in olfaction and sexual behavior, as well as sexually dimorphic regions, seem to play a role. One limitation of the literature base is that many mate or 'partner preference studies' rely on preference for a specific stimulus (usually olfaction) but do not include an analysis of the relation, if any, that stimulus has to the choice of a particular sexual partner. A second limitation has been the almost total lack of attention to the type of behavior that is shown by the choosing animal once a 'partner' has been chosen, specifically, if the individual plays a mating role typical of its own sex or the opposite sex. Additional paradigms that address these questions are needed for better understanding of partner preferences in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Henley
- Departments of Zoology and Psychology, and the Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Roullet FI, Wöhr M, Crawley JN. Female urine-induced male mice ultrasonic vocalizations, but not scent-marking, is modulated by social experience. Behav Brain Res 2011; 216:19-28. [PMID: 20540967 PMCID: PMC3094925 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2010] [Revised: 05/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite the evidence for a communicative function of rodent scent marks and ultrasonic vocalizations, relatively little is known about the impact of social factors on these two forms of communication. Here, we tested the effects of two important social factors, prior exposure to a female and freshness of female urine, on male scent marks and ultrasonic vocalizations elicited by female urine. We also asked whether a recently reported strain difference between the highly social strain C57BL/6J (B6) and the mouse model of autism BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) herein is specifically seen in response to female urine or also detectable in response to male urine traces. Results show that the emission of female urine-elicited ultrasonic vocalizations was dependent on previous female experience, while scent-marking behavior was not affected. A positive correlation was detected between scent-marking behavior and ultrasonic calling in the most biologically relevant context, male mice exposed to fresh female urine after female experience. Correlations were less prominent or missing in less biologically relevant contexts, e.g. in male mice exposed to fresh female urine without previous female experience, indicating that previous female experience is affecting both the emission of female urine-elicited ultrasonic vocalizations and the correlation between olfactory and acoustic communication. The strain difference in scent-marking behavior and ultrasonic calling between B6 and BTBR appears to be specific to female urine-elicited behavior as it was not seen in response to male urine traces, highlighting the relevance of the social context in which mouse communication is evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence I Roullet
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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19
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Bonthuis P, Cox K, Searcy B, Kumar P, Tobet S, Rissman E. Of mice and rats: key species variations in the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2010; 31:341-58. [PMID: 20457175 PMCID: PMC2910167 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Revised: 05/04/2010] [Accepted: 05/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Mice and rats are important mammalian models in biomedical research. In contrast to other biomedical fields, work on sexual differentiation of brain and behavior has traditionally utilized comparative animal models. As mice are gaining in popularity, it is essential to acknowledge the differences between these two rodents. Here we review neural and behavioral sexual dimorphisms in rats and mice, which highlight species differences and experimental gaps in the literature, that are needed for direct species comparisons. Moving forward, investigators must answer fundamental questions about their chosen organism, and attend to both species and strain differences as they select the optimal animal models for their research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- P.J. Bonthuis
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - K.H. Cox
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - B.T. Searcy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - P. Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - S. Tobet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - E.F. Rissman
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
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20
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Spiteri T, Musatov S, Ogawa S, Ribeiro A, Pfaff DW, Ågmo A. Estrogen-induced sexual incentive motivation, proceptivity and receptivity depend on a functional estrogen receptor alpha in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus but not in the amygdala. Neuroendocrinology 2010; 91:142-54. [PMID: 19887773 PMCID: PMC2918652 DOI: 10.1159/000255766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2008] [Accepted: 05/23/2009] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The display of copulatory behaviors usually requires the presence of a mate and is, therefore, preceded by a search for and approach to a potential partner. The intensity of approach behaviors is determined by a process labeled sexual incentive motivation. Although it is known that female sexual motivation depends on estrogens, their site of action within the brain is unknown. In the present experiment, we obtained data relevant to this issue. An shRNA encoded within an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector directed against the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene (or containing a nonsense base sequence as a control treatment) was injected bilaterally into the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN) or the posterodorsal amygdala (MePDA) of female rats. After an 80% reduction of the number of ERalpha in the VMN, sexual incentive motivation was absent after treatment with estradiol and progesterone. Proceptivity and receptivity were also much reduced, while the number of rejections was enhanced. Suppression of the ERalpha in the MePDA lacked these effects. Likewise, the inactive control AAV vector failed to modify any behavior. Thus, the ERalpha in the VMN, but not in the MePDA, is important for proceptivity and receptivity as well as for sexual incentive motivation. These results show that ERalpha in the VMN is crucial for the entire sequence of behavioral events from the processes leading to the establishment of sexual contact until the accomplishment of copulatory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Spiteri
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway New York, N.Y., USA
| | - Sergei Musatov
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, N.Y., and Neurologix Inc., Fort Lee, N.J., New York, N.Y., USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurosurgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, N.Y., USA
| | - Sonoko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ana Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, N.Y., and Neurologix Inc., Fort Lee, N.J., New York, N.Y., USA
| | - Donald W. Pfaff
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, N.Y., and Neurologix Inc., Fort Lee, N.J., New York, N.Y., USA
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway New York, N.Y., USA
- *Anders Ågmo, Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, NO–9037 Tromsø (Norway), Tel. +47 77 64 63 65, Fax +47 77 64 52 91, E-Mail
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Baum MJ, Kelliher KR. Complementary Roles of the Main and Accessory Olfactory Systems in Mammalian Mate Recognition. Annu Rev Physiol 2009; 71:141-60. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev.physiol.010908.163137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Baum
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215;
| | - Kevin R. Kelliher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844;
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22
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Hernández-González M, Guevara MA, Ågmo A. Motivational Influences on the Degree and Direction of Sexual Attraction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2008; 1129:61-87. [DOI: 10.1196/annals.1417.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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23
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Kelliher KR. The combined role of the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems in social communication in mammals. Horm Behav 2007; 52:561-70. [PMID: 17959176 PMCID: PMC2756530 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2007] [Revised: 08/14/2007] [Accepted: 08/15/2007] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The main olfactory and the vomeronasal systems are the two systems by which most vertebrates detect chemosensory cues that mediate social behavior. Much research has focused on how one system or the other is critical for particular behaviors. This has lead to a vision of two distinct and complexly autonomous olfactory systems. A closer look at research over the past 30 years reveals a different picture however. These two seemingly distinct systems are much more integrated than previously thought. One novel set of chemosensory cues in particular (MHC Class I peptide ligands) can show us how both systems are capable of detecting the same chemosensory cues, through different mechanisms yet provide the same general information (genetic individuality). Future research will need to now focus on how two seemingly distinct chemosensory systems together detect pheromones and mediate social behaviors. Do these systems work independently, synergistically or competitively in communicating between individuals of the same species?
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Kelliher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
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24
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Agmo A, Choleris E, Kavaliers M, Pfaff DW, Ogawa S. Social and sexual incentive properties of estrogen receptor alpha, estrogen receptor beta, or oxytocin knockout mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2007; 7:70-7. [PMID: 17504245 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2007.00327.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Social and sexual incentive motivation, defined as the intensity of approach to a social and a sexual incentive, respectively, were studied in female Swiss Webster mice. In the first experiment, the social incentive was a castrated mouse of the same strain as the females, whereas the sexual incentive was an intact male mouse of the same strain. Ovariectomized females were first tested after oil treatment and then after administration of estradiol benzoate + progesterone in doses sufficient to induce full receptivity. The hormones increased sexual incentive motivation while leaving social incentive motivation unaffected. This suggests that sexual incentive motivation in the female mouse is dependent on ovarian hormones. In the next experiment, ovariectomized females were tested with an intact, male estrogen receptor alpha knockout and its wild type as incentives, first without hormones and then when fully receptive. There were no differences in incentive properties between the wild type and the knockout. In a similar experiment, we used an intact male estrogen receptor beta knockout and its corresponding wild type as incentives. The wild type turned out to be a more attractive social incentive than the knockout, while they were equivalent as sexual incentives. Finally, an intact male oxytocin knockout and its wild type were used as incentives. The knockout turned out to be a superior incentive, particularly a superior sexual incentive. The fact that the estrogen receptor beta and oxytocin knockouts have incentive properties different from their wild types may be important to consider in studies of these knockouts' sociosexual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Agmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
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25
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26
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Lin DY, Zhang SZ, Block E, Katz LC. Encoding social signals in the mouse main olfactory bulb. Nature 2005; 434:470-7. [PMID: 15724148 DOI: 10.1038/nature03414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2004] [Accepted: 02/02/2005] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian urine releases complex mixtures of volatile compounds that are used in reproduction, territoriality and conspecific recognition. To understand how such complex mixtures are represented in the main olfactory bulb, we analysed the electrophysiological responses of individual mitral cells to volatile compounds in mouse urine. In both males and females, urine volatile compounds evoke robust responses in a small subset of mitral cells. Fractionation of the volatile compounds using gas chromatography showed that out of the hundreds of compounds present, mitral cells are activated by single compounds. One cohort of mitral cells responded exclusively to male urine; these neurons were activated by (methylthio)methanethiol, a potent, previously unknown semiochemical present only in male urine. When added to urine, synthetic (methylthio)methanethiol significantly enhances urine attractiveness to female mice. We conclude that mitral cells represent natural odorant stimuli by acting as selective feature detectors, and that their activation is largely independent of the presence of other components in the olfactory stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Yu Lin
- HHMI and Department of Neurobiology, Box 3209, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
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27
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Latham N, Mason G. From house mouse to mouse house: the behavioural biology of free-living Mus musculus and its implications in the laboratory. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2004. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2004.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Pankevich DE, Deedy EM, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Interactive effects of testosterone and superior cervical ganglionectomy on attraction thresholds to volatile urinary odors in gonadectomized mice. Behav Brain Res 2003; 144:157-65. [PMID: 12946606 DOI: 10.1016/s0166-4328(03)00073-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Volatile urinary odors contribute to mate recognition in mice after their detection by the main olfactory epithelium (MOE). We used a habituation/dishabitution task to ask whether the capacity of gonadectomized mice of both sexes to detect and investigate decreasing concentrations of volatile urinary odors from either breeding males or estrous females is modulated by administering androgen or estrogen and if so, whether any effects of these sex steroids are altered by disrupting the sympathetic innervation of the MOE via bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx). In tests given, beginning 51 days after gonadectomy without steroid treatment both male and female subjects detected even the lowest concentrations (1:120 and 1:160 dilutions by volume) of male urinary odors, provided they were SCGx as opposed to sham operated. In subsequent tests given after estradiol benzoate (EB) followed later by 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatments, neither male nor female subjects detected low concentrations of male urinary odors regardless of whether or not their SCG's were intact. Administration of testosterone (T) prior to a final series of tests restored the ability of gonadectomized subjects of both sexes to detect low concentrations of male urinary odors regardless of their SCG status. This suggests that T, but not its neural metabolites estradiol, or DHT, facilitates responsiveness to low concentrations of male odors in mice of both sexes. In tests given 51 days after gonadectomy without steroid treatment most male and female subjects readily detected the three highest concentrations of estrous female urinary odors whereas SCGx males and females failed to detect the lowest concentrations of these odors. After treatment with EB and then with DHT, gonadectomized mice of both sexes generally failed to detect the three lowest concentrations of estrous female urinary odors regardless of their SCG status. After T treatment; however, subjects of both sexes again detected most dilutions of estrous female urine, provided their SCG's were intact. Again, these results suggest that T, but not estradiol or DHT, facilitates responsiveness to estrous female urinary odors. Provided such an activational effect of T is present, sympathetic, noradrenergic inputs to the MOE may enhance odorant contrast, as previously suggested [Nat. Neurosci. 2 (1999) 106], by reducing the responsiveness of olfactory neurons to low (1:120 and 1:160 dilutions) concentrations of some biologically significant odorants (e.g. male urinary odors) while facilitating their responsiveness to low to moderate (1:80 dilution) concentrations of others (e.g. estrous female urinary odors).
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Affiliation(s)
- D E Pankevich
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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29
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Mucignat-Caretta C. Modulation of exploratory behavior in female mice by protein-borne male urinary molecules. J Chem Ecol 2002; 28:1853-63. [PMID: 12449511 DOI: 10.1023/a:1020521420271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Male pheromones are believed to attract females and repel male mice in open field tests but, when tested in more complex environments, they can attract male mice in usually avoided areas. Females were tested in an apparatus with one dark and one light side, in the absence or presence of male urine or the major urinary proteins (MUPs) bearing the natural ligands. Diestrous females were slower in leaving from the dark area when male urine or MUPs were present in it. Estrogen-primed females showed the opposite behavior, with an increase in the same latency. The light-avoidance behavior of prepubertal females, or females reared without males was not influenced by the presence of male chemosignals. The results show that adult female mice can react to MUP-borne volatiles as to adult male urine and use them as cues of male mice, if they were previously exposed to male cues during infancy. MUP-borne molecules are, thus, the olfactory trace of males in the environment and modulate mice exploratory behavior.
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30
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Baum MJ, Keverne EB. Sex difference in attraction thresholds for volatile odors from male and estrous female mouse urine. Horm Behav 2002; 41:213-9. [PMID: 11855906 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2001.1749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Volatile urinary odors from opposite sex conspecifics contribute to mate recognition in numerous mammalian species, including mice. We used a simple habituation/dishabituation testing procedure to ask whether the capacity to detect and investigate decreasing concentrations of volatile urinary odors is sexually differentiated in mice. Beginning 2 months after gonadectomy and in the absence of any sex steroid treatment, adult, sexually naive male and female CBA x C57Bl/6 F1 hybrid mice received two series of daily tests that involved the presentation of different dilutions of urine from C57Bl/6 males followed by urine from estrous females. Each test session began with three consecutive presentations of deionized water (10 microl on filter paper for 2 min, behind a mesh barrier which prevented direct physical access, in the home cage at 1-min intervals) followed by three presentations of one of five different dilutions of urine (a different dilution on each test day). Males and females showed equivalent, significant habituation/dishabituation responses (low investigation times for successive water presentations; increased investigation of the first urine stimulus, followed by a decline in successive urine investigation times) to both male and female urine/water dilutions of 1:1, 1:10, and 1:20. However, only female mice responded reliably to 1:40 and 1:80 dilutions of both types of urine, pointing to a sex dimorphism in the detection and/or processing of biologically relevant, volatile urinary odors by the main olfactory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Baum
- Subdepartment of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 8AA, United Kingdom
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31
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Yamada K, Wada E, Wada K. Female gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R)-deficient mice exhibit altered social preference for male conspecifics: implications for GRP/GRP-R modulation of GABAergic function. Brain Res 2001; 894:281-7. [PMID: 11251202 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(01)02032-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We studied female GRP-R-deficient mice with respect to olfactory function and social behavior toward male conspecifics. Results of a food exploration test (hidden cookie method) revealed that the olfactory ability of these mutant mice is identical to that of wild-type mice. However, when preference toward either a socially dominant or subordinate male mouse was assessed in a social preference test, wild-type mice showed a greater preference for socially dominant males than did GRP-R-deficient mice. In contrast, in a social investigation test to an anesthetized male mouse, GRP-R-deficient mice exhibited greater investigatory behavior toward the target male than did wild-type mice. When female C57BL/6J mice were given diazepam (0, 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg, i.p.), their investigatory behavior to the anesthetized male target was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, i.p. administration of bicuculline (1 mg/kg) significantly decreased the social investigatory behavior of female GRP-R-deficient mice, but not of wild-type mice. These results indicate that female GRP-R-deficient mice exhibit altered responsiveness to male conspecifics relative to their wild-type counterparts, and suggest that this outcome may be attributable, at least in part, to altered GABAergic function in these mutant mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Yamada
- Department of Degenerative Neurological Diseases, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira-City, 187-8502, Tokyo, Japan.
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Gosling L, Roberts S. Scent-marking by male mammals: Cheat-proof signals to competitors and mates. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2001. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-3454(01)80007-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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Halem HA, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Central forebrain Fos responses to familiar male odours are attenuated in recently mated female mice. Eur J Neurosci 2001. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2001.01382.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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34
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Halem HA, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Central forebrain Fos responses to familiar male odours are attenuated in recently mated female mice. Eur J Neurosci 2001. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2001.01382.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Gottreich A, Zuri I, Barel S, Hammer I, Terkel J. Urinary testosterone levels in the male blind mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi) affect female preference. Physiol Behav 2000; 69:309-15. [PMID: 10869597 DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9384(99)00249-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the sexual attraction of female blind mole rats to four groups of male mole rats: (a) intact males raised in captivity; (b) intact males trapped in the field; (c) captive males injected with testosterone; (d) captive castrated males. In the first part we measured blood testosterone, androstenedione, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, by radioimmunoassay; and urine testosterone levels, measured by GC-MS. The second part examined the relationship between urine testosterone levels in males and their attractiveness to females. Higher blood and urine testosterone levels were found in the field animals and in those injected with testosterone compared to captive intact or castrated animals: urine testosterone levels in the two other groups were not detectable. Blood androstenedione levels were also higher in the field animals and in those injected with testosterone compared to captive intact or castrated mole rats. Blood dihydrotestosterone levels were not detectable in all four experimental groups. Female mole rats chose to spend a longer period of time next to males with high blood and urine testosterone levels and high blood androstenedione levels than next to those with lower levels of these hormones. Because courtship and sexual behavior are influenced both by high levels of blood and urine testosterone and high levels of blood androstenedione, we suggest that the low levels of courtship and other sexual behavior in captive mole rats may be related to the lack of female attraction to these males, which display low levels of all three parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gottreich
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.
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Halem HA, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Vomeronasal neuroepithelium and forebrain Fos responses to male pheromones in male and female mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4695(199905)39:2<249::aid-neu9>3.0.co;2-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Kelliher KR, Chang YM, Wersinger SR, Baum MJ. Sex difference and testosterone modulation of pheromone-induced NeuronalFos in the Ferret's main olfactory bulb and hypothalamus. Biol Reprod 1998; 59:1454-63. [PMID: 9828192 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod59.6.1454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A carnivore, the ferret possesses a vomeronasal organ--accessory olfactory bulb (VNO-AOB) projection to the hypothalamus; however, little is known about its function. Pheromones in soiled bedding from estrous female ferrets or an artificial peppermint odor significantly augmented nuclear Fos protein immunoreactivity (Fos-IR), a marker of neural activation, in several main olfactory bulb (MOB) sites but not in the AOB of gonadectomized male and females. Testosterone propionate (TP) significantly augmented the MOB's neuronal Fos responses to estrous females' pheromones, but not to peppermint. Estrous odors, but not peppermint, also augmented neuronal Fos-IR in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) of female, but not male, subjects. Pheromones in soiled bedding from breeding male ferrets significantly augmented neuronal Fos-IR in the MOB and in the medial amygdala of gonadectomized, TP-treated male and female subjects. Again, male pheromones failed to influence neuronal Fos-IR in the AOB of either sex, and only females showed significant increases in neuronal Fos-IR in the lateral aspect of the ventromedial nucleus and mPOA. These results point to an essential role among higher mammals of the main olfactory epithelium-MOB projection to the hypothalamus in detecting and processing pheromones. Gonadectomized ferrets showed significant increases in sniffing behavior when placed on either female or male bedding. This occurred regardless of whether they had received TP or oil vehicle, suggesting that testosterone's facilitation of neuronal Fos responses to estrous females' odors in the MOB of both sexes cannot be attributed to increased scent gathering. Androgen receptor-IR was present in the MOB granule cell layer of male and female ferrets, raising the possibility that testosterone acts directly on these cells to augment their responsiveness to pheromones.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Kelliher
- a Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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Jemiolo B, Xie TM, Novotny M. Urine marking in male mice: responses to natural and synthetic chemosignals. Physiol Behav 1992; 52:521-6. [PMID: 1409915 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(92)90341-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The effects of natural chemosignals and their synthetic terpenic analogs on urinary marking in mice were investigated. The number and size of marking spots, and percentage of response and avoidance/counter-marking behavior, were measured for dominant and subordinate males. The males' marking behavior was found to differ significantly based on the type of stimulus sample used. Marking behavior in response to female urine was significantly altered by addition of synthetic analogs (farnesene isomers) to it. Both dominant and subordinate males avoided marking the section of the test area soiled with stimulus samples containing either natural or synthetic farnesenes. Differential responses of the dominant and subordinate male mice were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Jemiolo
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405
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Jemiolo B, Xie TM, Novotny M. Socio-sexual olfactory preference in female mice: attractiveness of synthetic chemosignals. Physiol Behav 1991; 50:1119-22. [PMID: 1798765 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(91)90570-e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Two sesquiterpenic compounds, E,E,-alpha-farnesene and E-beta-farnesene, which were previously found as major constituents of the male mouse preputial glands, were tested for their attractiveness to female mice. Sexually naive and sexually experienced females were given the opportunity to choose between natural stimuli and synthetic analogs of preputial chemosignals. Naive females preferred investigating the odors of intact males' urine and synthetic farnesenes when spiked in high concentration in bladder urine or water over control stimulus (water or bladder urine alone). Investigatory preference was not observed when synthetic farnesenes were presented to naive females in low concentration, i.e., only twice the natural content in the dominant male urine. However, sexually experienced females were clearly able to recognize and prefer samples with synthetic farnesenes, even in low concentration. We suggest that those sesquiterpenic compounds may play a wide-ranging role in the female recognition of sexually mature and socially dominant males.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Jemiolo
- Chemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405
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Ninomiya K, Kimura T. Female-attracting property of urinary compounds in male mice. Stereospecificity and interaction with other factors. THE SCIENCE OF NATURE - NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN 1990; 77:586-8. [PMID: 2074900 DOI: 10.1007/bf01133729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K Ninomiya
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan
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Romero PR, Beltramino CA, Carrer HF. Participation of the olfactory system in the control of approach behavior of the female rat to the male. Physiol Behav 1990; 47:685-90. [PMID: 2385639 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(90)90078-i] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The amounts of time spent by females in the sector of an open field close to the cage housing a normal male or a castrated male were measured in order to quantitate the tendency of the female to reach physical proximity to a sexually active male (androtropism). Intact proestrous or ovariectomized females primed with 100 micrograms of estradiol benzoate/kg b. wt. (EB) or EB plus 2 mg progesterone/kg b. wt. (P) spent significantly more time close to the sexually active (intact) male than in the proximity of the orchidectomized male. In order to determine whether olfactory clues were sufficient for female rats to distinguish between intact and castrated males, the males were removed from the stimulus cages, leaving the soiled bedding in place. Ovariectomized rats primed with EB or EB plus P clearly preferred proximity to the cage where the intact male had been living. No preference was evident after transection of olfactory nerves in proestrous rats or in ovariectomized rats primed with EB plus P. Resection of the vomeronasal organ also suppressed preference. These results indicate that olfactory input is necessary and sufficient for androtropism to occur, and suggest that the accessory olfactory system is involved in the analysis of olfactory signals used by female rats to identify the endocrine status of prospective sexual partners. In a different group of animals, it was demonstrated that destruction of the posteromedial cortical amygdaloid nucleus also suppressed preference for the intact male. It is proposed that this structure serves as a relay station for the analysis and integration of olfactory input significant for the motivational control of sexual behavior in the female rat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Affiliation(s)
- P R Romero
- Instituto de Investigación Medica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, Cordoba, Argentina
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Hurst JL. The complex network of olfactory communication in populations of wild house mice Mus domesticus rutty: urine marking and investigation within family groups. Anim Behav 1989. [DOI: 10.1016/0003-3472(89)90057-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Maruniak JA, Taylor JA, Perrigo G. Effects of water deprivation on urine marking and aggression in male house mice. Physiol Behav 1988; 42:47-51. [PMID: 3387476 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90258-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the effects of water deprivation on male mouse urine marking and aggressive behaviors and endurance. In Experiment 1, the size of marks and frequency of marking were examined in 3 groups given 3 different weights of potato/day as their source of water. Males receiving the least water, 1.5 g potato/day, marked at significantly lower rates than males receiving 3 g potato/day or 6 g potato/day (p less than 0.01). The size of urine marks of males was judged by a panel to be unaffected by water deprivation. In Experiment 2, water-deprived males were not as aggressive as normal males and when paired with them were almost always subordinated. Experiment 3 tested the hypothesis that water-deprived males lost fights simply because they were weaker than normal males. When water-deprived and normal males were tested to determine the maximum length of time they could swim, no differences were found (p greater than 0.05). We conclude that water deprivation can directly affect the urine marking and aggressive behaviors of male mice. Such changes may be of adaptive importance during times of drought.
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Shiraishi T. Feeding related lateral hypothalamic neuron responses to odors depend on food deprivation in rats. Physiol Behav 1988; 44:591-7. [PMID: 3070586 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90323-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
It has been investigated feeding related LHA neuronal activity and responses to odor stimulation in rats at various levels of satiation. Extracellular responses of 168 neurons to three odors, isoamylacetate (AA), cineole (CL), and isovaleric acid (VA), were recorded from 168 LHA neurons of Wistar-SPF male rats. Of 168 units, 107 (63.7%) responded to from one to three odors, but not to light or phonic stimulation. Of the responding units, 94.4% (101/107) were excited, and 5.6% were inhibited. In response to a single electrical stimulation (0.5 msec, 1-10 V) of the OB, 61 units were excited with latencies of 6-43 msec (19.8 +/- 12.0 msec, mean +/- S.D.) indicating compound OB-LHA relations--mono- and polysynaptic through myelinated and nonmyelinated fibers. The results suggest predominantly excitatory effects of both electrical stimulation of the OB and odor stimulation on the LHA. Firing frequency in response to AA or VA was significantly (p less than 0.05) greater for the long fasting group (38 hr, LF, n = 8) than for the NF (nonfasting, n = 12) group; differences between the LF and MF (24 hr, n = 6) groups were not significant. Glucose-sensitive neurons (GSN, n = 19) responded more to odors than non-GSNs (n = 86), and discharge frequency increase depended markedly on food deprivation. Food deprivation results suggest that responsiveness of feeding related LHA neurons to odors depends on the degree of satiation. In conclusion, it was confirmed that olfactory functions are important in the responses of hypothalamic feeding related neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Shiraishi
- Department of Physiology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
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Ninomiya K, Kimura T. Male odors that influence the preference of female mice: roles of urinary and preputial factors. Physiol Behav 1988; 44:791-5. [PMID: 3249754 DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90064-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Female mice preferred to investigate the odor of normal male urine to that of either castrated or preputialectomized male urine. Females showed no particular preferences in two-choice tests among castrated, castrated-preputialectomized and preputialectomized male urine. These results suggest that both urinary and preputial factors of males are involved in female attraction. In an experiment with urine mixtures, females preferred a mixture of urine from preputialectomized males and castrated males to a mixture of urine from preputialectomized males and castrated-preputialectomized males. This strongly suggests that the urinary factor is androgen-dependent, while the preputial factor is possibly androgen-independent. Further experiments demonstrated the possibility that the preputial odorous factor involved in female attraction is increased or newly formed after excretion of the secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ninomiya
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan
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Abstract
Responses of lateral hypothalamic neurons to 8 odors were studied in chronic unanesthetized old world monkeys (Macaca irus). Many neurons (54.5%) responded to a single odor only, and the number of neurons responding to 2, 3 and 4 odors decreased successively. No neuron responded to as many as 5 odors. Thus, the presence of olfactory input and a highly discriminative ability for odors were found in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Neuronal responses to the same odors were also studied in the septum (Spt). In anesthetized old world monkeys, evoked potentials were recorded in the LHA and in areas of the Spt and the nucleus accumbens (Acc) during stimulation of the olfactory bulb (OB). When the Spt (and probably the Acc with it) was subsequently destroyed, OB-evoked potentials in the LHA disappeared. Next, by injecting horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into the LHA, an olfactory pathway to the LHA was examined. Labeled neurons were found mainly in the Spt and the Acc, and only partly in other areas. However, labeled neurons were scarcely found in the prepyriform (PPF)-entorhinal (ER) area or in the olfactory tubercle (OT). The present study thus shows that an olfactory pathway to the LHA passes through the Spt and probably also the Acc, but not through the PPF-ER areas nor through the OT in the old world monkey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Tazawa
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical College, Tokyo, Japan
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Brain PF, Homady MH, Castano D, Parmigiani S. and behaviour of rodents and primates. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1987. [DOI: 10.1080/11250008709355598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Neafsey EJ, Hurley-Gius KM, Arvanitis D. The topographical organization of neurons in the rat medial frontal, insular and olfactory cortex projecting to the solitary nucleus, olfactory bulb, periaqueductal gray and superior colliculus. Brain Res 1986; 377:261-70. [PMID: 3730872 DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(86)90867-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In 19 rats two different retrograde tracers (Fast Blue, Diamidino Yellow, Rhodamine-labeled latex microspheres, or wheat germ agglutinin conjugated with HRP) were injected into the solitary nucleus (NTS) and either the olfactory bulb (OB), periaqueductal gray (PAG) or superior colliculus (SC). The pattern of retrogradely labeled neurons in the medial frontal, insular and olfactory cortices was examined to determine the topographical organization of the cell populations projecting to these subcortical targets and the extent to which they overlapped. In the medial frontal cortex (MFC) SC projections originated most dorsally, while NTS and OB projections originated most ventrally and exhibited slight overlap. PAG projections originated from virtually the entire MFC and overlapped with cells projecting to the OB, NTS and SC. These results are consistent with the role of dorsal MFC as the rat's frontal eye field and the ventral MFC as a visceral motor area. Laterally, in the insular cortex there was virtually complete overlap between cells projecting to the NTS and PAG. The extensive overlap of PAG projections with NTS projections medially and laterally and with SC projections medially suggests the PAG is involved in a variety of brain visceral and somatic functions. In the piriform cortex there was overlap between cells projecting to the OB and cells projecting to the SC; the cells projecting to the SC were located in the endopiriform nucleus, and may provide a substrate for orienting responses to odors.
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Schwende FJ, Wiesler D, Jorgenson JW, Carmack M, Novotny M. Urinary volatile constituents of the house mouse,Mus musculus, and their endocrine dependency. J Chem Ecol 1986; 12:277-96. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01045611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/1984] [Accepted: 07/01/1985] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
From the results of our electrophysiological and HRP studies in the old world monkey, multiple olfactory pathways have been clarified. The old world monkey has two neocortical olfactory areas, but no functional vomeronasal system. The response patterns to odors in various olfactory areas have also been studied. On the other hand, in the rabbit (Onoda and Iino, 1980) and dog (Onoda et al., 1981, 1982), which do have active vomeronasal systems, only one neocortical olfactory area was found. This important difference had already been indicated in three previous papers in which Takagi (1979, 1980, 1981) theorized that mammals can be divided into two groups according to their olfactory nervous mechanisms. One group includes old world monkeys, higher primates and man, and the other new world monkeys and lower mammals.
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