Elsevier

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 8, Issue 1, January 1972, Pages 37-41
Physiology & Behavior

Olfactory bulb removal: Influences on the mating behavior of male mice,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(72)90127-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Bilateral removal of the olfactory bulbs completely abolished the display of masculine sexual behavior in seven of nine male Swiss-Webster mice. The sexual behavior of unilaterally bulbectomized males was unaffected, and was comparable to that shown by operated and unoperated control males. Replacement therapy with exogenous androgen failed to restore post-operative deficits in mating behavior in bulbectomized mice. Apparently, intact olfactory input is a necessary condition for the occurrence of mating behavior in male mice.

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This work was supported by research grant MH 18791 from the National Institutes of Mental Health to DAE. FAR was supported by an NDEA predoctoral fellowship. Hormones were provided through the courtesy of Dr. Preston Perlman of the Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, New Jersey. We thank Dr. John W. Scott for his expert advice and assistance throughout the course of this study.

☆☆

This experiment was part of a dissertation submitted to Emory University by FAR in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the P Ph. D. in psychology.

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Present address: Department of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616.

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