Involvement of the main but not the accessory olfactory system in maternal behavior of primiparous and multiparous ewes

Lévy, F.; Locatelli, A.; Piketty, Vincent; Tillet, Yves; Poindron, Pascal

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(94)00200-o

Cited by 101 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…This is also the case following ablation of the olfactory bulbs, even though bulbectomy may slightly facilitate maternal aggression toward the young in sheep (Baldwin & Shillito, 1974;Bouissou, 1968;Poindron, 1976b). In agreement with the effects of AF privation in intact ewes (Lévy & Poindron, 1987), prepartum anosmia also impairs the display of maternal behavior in primiparous ewes (Lévy et al, 1995b). However, the effects are less pronounced and do not impede the mothers to display maternal behavior, contrary to what is found after removing AF from the lamb's coat in intact dams.…”

Section: Cues Involved In the Maintenance Of Maternal Responsivenesssupporting

confidence: 70%

“…The first evidence that there are, indeed, two different aspects of maternal care in sheep and goats comes from the fact that at the very time of parturition, mothers accept any young, especially neonates Smith et al, 1966), indicating that there is some state of responsiveness to cues common to any neonate. The distinction between maternal responsiveness and selectivity is further supported by the fact that ewes or goats, rendered anosmic before parturition by olfactory bulb ablation, or other methods of anosmia, are able to care for any young, without developing an individual bond with their own (Lévy, Locatelli, Piketty, Tillet, & Poindron, 1995b;Morgan, Boundy, Arnold, & Lindsay, 1975;Poindron, 1976a;Romeyer, Poindron, & Orgeur, 1994a).…”

Section: The Sensitive Period Sensitive Period Versus Critical Periodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Contrary to the privation of olfactory cues in intact mothers, prepartum lesion of the main olfactory mucosa or ablation of the olfactory bulbs has little consequences on the display of maternal behavior at parturition or its maintenance. Ewes and goats rendered anosmic before parturition by lesion of the main olfactory epithelium, do care for their neonates and nurse young adequately (Hernández et al, 2001(Hernández et al, , 2002Lévy et al, 1995b;Romeyer et al, 1994a). This is also the case following ablation of the olfactory bulbs, even though bulbectomy may slightly facilitate maternal aggression toward the young in sheep (Baldwin & Shillito, 1974;Bouissou, 1968;Poindron, 1976b).…”

Section: Cues Involved In the Maintenance Of Maternal Responsivenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal responsiveness and maternal selectivity in domestic sheep and goats: The two facets of maternal attachment

Poindron

Lévy

Keller

2006

Developmental Psychobiology

111

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Sheep and goats rapidly establish an exclusive relationship with their neonate following contact with it during a sensitive period of maternal responsiveness induced by the physiological events occurring at parturition. The data concerning the sensory, physiological, and neurobiological factors involved in the activation of both maternal responsiveness and the establishment of selective nursing indicates that these processes are activated simultaneously by the combined action of two main factors, the prepartum rise in circulating estrogen and the vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) caused by fetus expulsion. On the one hand, these two factors act on a neural network including the main olfactory system (MOB), the medial preoptic area (MPOA), and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) to induce maternal responsiveness towards any neonate. The intracerebral release of oxytocin (OT) from the PVN, and the triggering of olfactory attraction for amniotic fluid (AF) are key elements in this process. On the other hand, VCS at birth also sets the MOB ready to memorize the individual odor of the neonate, through the release of peptides and neurotransmitters (noradrenaline and acetylcholine). In addition to the MOB, the network involved in recognition mainly includes the medial and cortical amygdala. Across consolidation processes, reorganization occurs in the network engaged in lamb recognition. Whether this memorization may be potentiated by other sensory cues is not known. The identification of the chemosensory compounds involved in the attraction for AF and in the recognition of the neonate is important for understanding the mechanisms of maternal attachment. ß 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 54-70, 2007.

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Section: Cues Involved In the Maintenance Of Maternal Responsivenesssupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: The Sensitive Period Sensitive Period Versus Critical Periodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cues Involved In the Maintenance Of Maternal Responsivenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Maternal responsiveness and maternal selectivity in domestic sheep and goats: The two facets of maternal attachment

Poindron

Lévy

Keller

2006

Developmental Psychobiology

111

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“…On the one hand, AF possesses a general supraindividual attractive quality for all parturient mothers (Lé vy et al, 1983 and1996) and this facilitates the acceptance of any lamb, including aliens 1987;Lé vy et al, 1995). On the other hand, AF also carries individual cues from the lamb that help in developing maternal selectivity and recognition of the own neonate, thus preventing the acceptance of alien lambs whose AF bears a different olfactory signature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amniotic fluid is important for the maintenance of maternal responsiveness and the establishment of maternal selectivity in sheep

Poindron

Otal²,

Ferreira

et al. 2010

Animal

Self Cite

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Amniotic fluid (AF) is important for the establishment of maternal behaviour in inexperienced ewes, but its role in experienced mothers remains to be studied. Here, the maintenance of post-partum maternal responsiveness and the establishment of exclusive bonding was investigated in multiparous ewes when AF was removed from the neonate or/and physical contact with the young was precluded for the first 4 h post partum. Maintenance of maternal responsiveness and establishment of exclusive bonding were measured by the proportion of mothers accepting their own lamb and alien lambs that had been either washed or not washed, and by comparing an acceptance score for each type of lamb. The acceptance score was computed by summing standardised variables of acceptance (low bleats, acceptance at udder, nursing and licking time) and subtracting standardised variables of rejection (high-pitched bleats, rejection at the udder and aggressive behaviour). Washing the neonate reduced its acceptance score, but the proportion of mothers rejecting their own lamb was reduced only when washing the neonate and prevention of physical contact for 4 h were combined (7/15 v. 0/10 in controls, P 5 0.02). In addition, washing the neonate increased the acceptance score of the washed alien lamb, but not of the unwashed alien. However, washing and privation of physical contact did not increase significantly the proportion of mothers accepting an alien lamb at 4 h post partum. We conclude that AF is important in experienced ewes for the establishment of maternal responsiveness, as already found in primiparous mothers. In addition, our results indicate that AF also carries some chemosensory information facilitating exclusive bonding.

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“…Levy et al (1995) generated a strong case for olfactory involvement. They had earlier reported that cutting the vomeronasal nerves had no effects on maternal behaviors.…”

Section: Pheromone Receptor: Likelihood Of a Human Vnomentioning

confidence: 99%

Facts, fallacies, fears, and frustrations with human pheromones

2004

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Among primates in general, pheromones are of variable importance to social communication. Data on humans have generated the greatest controversy regarding the existence of pheromonal communication. In this review, the likelihood of pheromonal communication in humans is assessed with a discussion of chemical compounds produced by the axilla that may function as pheromones; the likelihood that the vomeronasal organ (VNO), a putative pheromone receptor organ in many other mammals, is functional in humans; and the possible ways pheromones operate in humans. In the human axilla, the interactions between the cutaneous microflora and axillary secretions render this region analogous to scent glands found in other primates. Both the chemistry of axillary secretions and their effects on conspecifics in humans appear to be analogous to other mammalian pheromone systems. Whichever chemical compounds serve a pheromonal function in humans, another unknown is the receptor. Although the VNO has been implicated in the reception of pheromones in many vertebrates, it is not the only pathway through which such information has access to the central nervous system; there is ample evidence to support the view that the olfactory epithelium can respond to pheromones. Furthermore, if a chemical activates receptors within the VNO, this does not necessarily mean that the compound is a pheromone. An important caveat for humans is that critical components typically found within the functioning VNO of other, nonprimate, mammals are lacking, suggesting that the human VNO does not function in the way that has been described for other mammals. In a broader perspective, pheromones can be classified as primers, signalers, modulators, and releasers. There is good evidence to support the presence of the former three in humans. Examples include affects on the menstrual cycle (primer effects); olfactory recognition of newborn by its mother (signaler); individuals may exude different odors based on mood (suggestive of modulator effects). However, there is no good evidence for releaser effects in adult humans. It is emphasized that no bioassay-guided study has led to the isolation of true human pheromones, a step that will elucidate specific functions to human chemical signals.

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Involvement of the main but not the accessory olfactory system in maternal behavior of primiparous and multiparous ewes

Cited by 101 publications

References 24 publications

Maternal responsiveness and maternal selectivity in domestic sheep and goats: The two facets of maternal attachment

Maternal responsiveness and maternal selectivity in domestic sheep and goats: The two facets of maternal attachment

Amniotic fluid is important for the maintenance of maternal responsiveness and the establishment of maternal selectivity in sheep

Facts, fallacies, fears, and frustrations with human pheromones

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