Title: | Olfactory recognition: a simple memory system |
Author(s): | Brennan P; Kaba H; Keverne EB; |
Address: | "Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0036-8075 (Print) 0036-8075 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Mice have an olfactory (pheromone) recognition memory located at the first relay in the sensory system. It is acquired with one-trial learning, contingent upon norepinephrine activation at mating, and lasts for several weeks. The mechanism involves Hebbian (association-dependent) changes in synaptic efficacy at dendrodendritic synapses in the accessory olfactory bulb. As a result of this memory, males made familiar by mating are recognized by the females, thereby mitigating pregnancy block. Such a memory function is biologically important to the female, as it is required to sustain pregnancy in the presence of her stud male's odors" |
Keywords: | "Amygdala/drug effects/physiology Animals Female Hypothalamus/physiology Lidocaine/pharmacology Male Memory/*physiology Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Mice, Inbred CBA N-Methylaspartate/antagonists & inhibitors/physiology Norepinephrine/physiology Olfactory Bulb;" |
Notes: | "MedlineBrennan, P Kaba, H Keverne, E B eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 1990/11/30 Science. 1990 Nov 30; 250(4985):1223-6. doi: 10.1126/science.2147078" |