Sniffing behavior

Kemble E.D. and Nagel J.A. (1975). Decreased sniffing behavior in rats following septal lesions. Psychonom Sci 5, 309-310. 

Thor D.H. (1978). Gonadal testosterone and perineal sniffing behavior of the male rat. Behav Biol 24, 256-264. 

Schoenfeld, T.A., Cleland, T.A. Anatomical contributions to odorant sampling and representation in rodents zoning in on sniffing behavior. Chem. Senses 31, 131-144 (2006)... 

LOT cuts dramatically decreased overall olfactory investigation as shown by reductions in sniffing behavior in tasks for both individual discrimination and sex preferences. Moreover, female hamsters with LOT cuts did not discriminate between individual male odors, did not prefer male odors over those of females, and rarely flank marked in response to odors. However, vaginal marking in response to odors was only partially reduced by LOT transections. 

Septal organ function, like that of the terminal nerve, is obscure. The organ is apparently present in both mammals and birds. Little information is available on the biological importance of this system, although it may serve to trigger sniffing behavior in canines (D.A. Marshall, personal communication, 1985). 

Food producing animals utilize a sniffing behavior often associated with the apprehension, selection and prehension of feeds. The Inportance of odor in food selection by sheep was Investigated by offering control and bulbectomized sheep food from control containers versus containers that had been adulterated with acetic acid, camphor or iodobenzene (Table IV). Bulbectomized sheep selected approximately equal quantities of food from each container whereas control sheep only consumed about 25% of their 60-minute Intake from adulterated containers (31). 

Fig. 4.3 Behavioral bioassay by using a felinine derivative. Felinine purified from cat urine by HPLC was dissolved in water at a concentration of lOmg/ml, and 200 pi of the solution was stored in a 1.5-ml eppendorf tube at room temperature for 5 days. GC-MS analysis detected 3-mercapto-3-methyl-l-butanol in the headspace gas of the tube. The cat (6-year-old castrated male) was able to sniff the opening of the tube, but not contact the felinine solution. The cat sniffed 3-mercapto-3-methyl-l-butanol with considerable interest (18s and 25s) and then licked his lips five times (37 s)...

Bensafi, M., Brown, W. M., Khan, R., Levenson, B. and Sobel, N. (2004) Sniffing human sex-steroid derived compounds modulates mood, memory and autonomic nervous system function in specific behavioral contexts. Behav. Brain Res. 152, 11-22. 

We have previously suggested (Halpern and Kubie 1983) that tongue-flicking in snakes can be classified as a sense-seeking behavior, similar to sniffing, ear and eye movements. A major function of tongue-flicking is certainly to collect informa-... 

Both male and female coyotes, C. latrans, are attracted to volatile aldehydes from sheep liver and estrous urine of female coyotes. The most active compoimds were octanal, nonanal, decanal, and imdecanal. The aldehydes released sniffing and rub-rolling, but little lick-chewing and biting. Therefore, these compoimds are better suited to attract coyotes to traps than to toxicant-delivery systems that rely on the latter behaviors (Scrivnereta/., 1984). 

Solvent abusers can die, sometimes after a single prolonged episode of sniffing, from either physical effects of the chemicals or dangerous behavior related to the user s impaired state of mind. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas, records 100 to 125 deaths from inhalants... 

Observe the behavior of a male mouse toward an untreated female for 5 min. Record behaviors such as approach, nasonasal sniffing, nasogenital sniffing, mounting, and chasing. Enter in a data sheet. 

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