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Physiol Behav

Title:		Chemoinvestigatory and sexual behavior of male guinea pigs following vomeronasal organ removal
Author(s):		Beauchamp GK; Martin IG; Wysocki CJ; Wellington JL;
Address:
Journal Title:		Physiol Behav
Year:		1982
Volume:		29
Issue:		2
Page Number:		329 - 336
DOI:		10.1016/0031-9384(82)90022-1
ISSN/ISBN:		0031-9384 (Print) 0031-9384 (Linking)
Abstract:		"The vomeronasal organs of male guinea pigs were removed (VNX; n = 10) or males experienced sham surgery (Sham; n = 10). Subsequently a battery of chemosensory tests of investigatory responsiveness to conspecific urine was conducted. Additionally, male subjects were paired with female conspecifics for short and long periods and social and sexual behaviors were monitored. VNX males exhibited a depression in urine investigation and this depression became more profound following repeated testing and/or the passage of time. By 6.3 months following surgery, investigatory responsiveness to urine was practically eliminated. Maintenance of responsiveness to urine odors may require reinforcing input through the accessory olfactory system. In contrast to these effects on responsiveness to odors, VNX and Sham males were indistinguishable in their social and sexual behavior. These data indicate that male guinea pigs without a VNO: (1) Exhibit a depression of investigation of urine odors which is time dependent and which may involve an extinction-like process; (2) continue to discriminate classes of urine (e.g., urine from male vs urine from female conspecifics); and (3) exhibit normal sexual behavior. The vomeronasal organ in the male domestic guinea pig is apparently critical for the maintenance of normal responsiveness to sex odors but, in its absence, other sensory systems are capable of maintaining normal sexual behavior under conditions of laboratory testing"
Keywords:		"Animals Chemoreceptor Cells/*physiology Discrimination Learning/physiology Guinea Pigs Male Nasal Septum/*innervation Olfactory Bulb/*physiology Olfactory Pathways/physiology *Pheromones *Sex Attractants Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Smell/*physiolo;"
Notes:		"MedlineBeauchamp, G K Martin, I G Wysocki, C J Wellington, J L eng 5F32NSO6421-02/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/ 5T32NS07176-02/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 1982/08/01 Physiol Behav. 1982 Aug; 29(2):329-36. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(82)90022-1"