« Previous AbstractCharacterization of volatile compounds and olfactory profile of red minority varietal wines from La Rioja    Next Abstract"Male-specific features are reduced in Mecp2-null mice: analyses of vasopressinergic innervation, pheromone production and social behaviour" »

Chem Senses

Title:		Intraspecific communication through chemical signals in female mice: reinforcing properties of involatile male sexual pheromones
Author(s):		Martinez-Ricos J; Agustin-Pavon C; Lanuza E; Martinez-Garcia F;
Address:		"Departament de Biologia Funcional i Antropologia Fisica, Facultat de Ciencies Biologiques, Universitat de Valencia, C/ Dr Moliner, 50, ES-46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain"
Journal Title:		Chem Senses
Year:		2007
Volume:		20061103
Issue:		2
Page Number:		139 - 148
DOI:		10.1093/chemse/bjl039
ISSN/ISBN:		0379-864X (Print) 0379-864X (Linking)
Abstract:		"In rodents, social and reproductive behaviors critically depend on chemical signals, including sexual pheromones that have been suggested (but not demonstrated) to be rewarding. In this work, we analyze this issue by studying the chemoinvestigatory behavior of adult female mice (without experience with male-derived chemicals) toward 1) the synthetic odorant citralva, 2) bedding soiled by different conspecifics (females, males, and castrated males), and 3) volatiles derived from bedding soiled by males and castrated males (confronted in 2-choice tests). We also study whether these chemical signals are able to induce conditioned place preference, a reliable test for rewarding properties of stimuli. The results show that involatile, male-derived chemicals elicit an intense and sustained chemoinvestigation and, more importantly, are the only tested chemical signals that induce conditioned place preference. In contrast, volatile, male-derived chemicals are not significantly chemoinvestigated. Bedding soiled by castrated males induces a transient chemoinvestigation, likely directed to steroid-independent, biologically relevant chemical signals, whereas the intense chemoinvestigation of female-soiled bedding shows a slow habituation. Finally, females did not explore significantly citralva-odorized bedding. The present work constitutes the first demonstration of the unconditioned reinforcing properties of involatile (likely detected by the vomeronasal organ) steroid-dependent chemical signals in mammals"
Keywords:		"*Animal Communication Animals Bedding and Linens Conditioning, Psychological Female Male Mice Nitriles Odorants *Sex Attractants *Stimulation, Chemical Volatilization;"
Notes:		"MedlineMartinez-Ricos, Joana Agustin-Pavon, Carmen Lanuza, Enrique Martinez-Garcia, Fernando eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2006/11/07 Chem Senses. 2007 Feb; 32(2):139-48. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjl039. Epub 2006 Nov 3"