Hamster chemosensory systems

If adult odor preferences are in fact influenced by early olfactory experience, then chemosensory processing must be functional early in rodent development. Indeed, the chemosensory systems develop very early in rodents (Alberts 1976 Astic and Saucier 1981), and chemosensory processing appears to be functional both prena-tally (Pedersen and Blass 1982 Stickrod, Kimble and Smotherman 1982) and peri-natally, as evidenced by behavioral responses to odors (Devor and Schneider 1974 Gregory and Bishop 1975 Leon and Moltz 1971 Porter and Etscorn 1974). For example, Syrian hamster pups display behavioral preferences for different types of artificial odorants as early as postnatal day 4 (Devor and Schneider 1974). These data suggest that young rodents are able to both process and respond to odors present in their early environment. 

Table 5.2 Chemosensory systems required for behaviors in golden hamsters...

Fig. 2.10 Nasal chemoreceptive systems (Rodent) — chemosensory and autonomic fibres Masera s organ (= Septal Organ) and NT, and vasomotor (NP and Ethmoidal) in adult hamster (from Meredith, 1983).

In support of this contention, the carrier protein Aphrodisin makes an early appearance in vaginal secretions. In pre-pubertal hamsters, it thus indicates chemosensory preparation for the onset of female maturity (Magert, 1999). The proven ability of the AOS to modulate the CNS-pituitary-gonadal axis by advancing or retarding endocrine activity (Chap. 5), underlines its role as primarily the chemosensor of the reproductive system. The adaptive consequence of responses, which allows an avoidance of premature breeding, or of a postponement of puberty, would seem to be advantageous. 

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