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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-9-10
pubmed:abstractText
Sheep form an olfactory recognition memory for their lambs within 2 h of parturition and will subsequently reject the approaches of any strange lamb and protest vocally. In this study we report that following olfactory memory formation, ewes exposed to either their own or a strange lamb show c-fos mRNA expression in the medial frontal cortex, although levels of expression in the pyramidal output cell layer V were significantly higher in ewes that rejected strange lambs. Reversibly inactivating this region by the retrodialysis of the anaesthetic tetracaine before birth reduced aggressive motor responses towards lambs but not protest vocalisations. Similar treatment during the critical period for olfactory memory formation and lamb recognition (0-4 h post-partum) had no effect on ewes maternal behaviour towards their own lambs. It did, however, prevent the normal selective expression of aggressive rejection, and reduced protest vocalisation behaviours directed towards strange lambs. These rejection behaviours did appear 1 h after the termination of tetracaine infusions despite the ewes not being given the opportunity to interact with their own lambs during this time. Therefore, tetracaine blockade of the medial frontal cortex prevents animals from responding with motor aggression, but not vocal aggression, to odour cues from strange lambs, but has no effect on the formation of an olfactory recognition memory for their own lambs. Both pre- and post-partum aggressive rejection of strange lambs was associated with increased concentrations of dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and GABA. When these behaviours were inhibited by the tetracaine infusions, extracellular concentrations of these neurotransmitters were all increased by the anaesthetic but did not change in response to lambs. These findings suggest that a functional medial frontal cortex is not required for the formation of an olfactory recognition memory or for mediating pro-active maternal behaviours. It is however required for the mediation of motor but not vocal aspects of aggressive rejection responses directed towards aversive odour cues from strange lambs.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0306-4522
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
Copyright 2002 IBRO
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
114
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
715-29
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
Involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex in mediating behavioural responses to odour cues rather than olfactory recognition memory.
pubmed:affiliation
Laboratory of Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4AT, UK. kevin.broad@bbsrc.ac.uk
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't