Summary
By performing uni- and bilateral olfactory bulb lesions and uni- and bilateral transsections of the infraorbital branches of the trigeminal nerves in 2-day-old rabbits, it could be shown that:
-
1.
Both the olfactory and tactile modalities are essential for the successful performance of nipple-search behaviour.
-
2.
While bilateral bulbectomy completely eliminates searching, and hence suckling, unilateral bulbectomy has relatively little effect.
-
3.
Bilateral denervation of the muzzle does not eliminate searching, but pups are unable to suckle as they fail to show the mouth-opening component necessary for nipple attachment.
-
4.
In contrast to unilateral bulbectomy, unilateral denervation of the muzzle results in a lateralization of head movements during searching, nipple grasping and nipple release.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Békésy von G (1964) Olfactory analogue to directional hearing. J Appl Physiol 19:369–373
Bell WJ, Tobin TR (1982) Chemo-orientation. Biol Rev 57:219–260
Blass EM, Teicher MH, Cramer CP, Bruno JP, Hall WG (1977) Olfactory, thermal, and tactile controls of suckling in preauditory and previsual rats. J Comp Physiol Psychol 91:1248–1260
Daval G, Leveteau J (1979) Neural mechanisms in the anterior olfactory nucleus of the rabbit and their possible relevance to localization of an olfactory source. Chem Senses 4:135–140
Deutsch JA (1957) Nest building behaviour of domestic rabbits under semi-natural conditions. Br J Anim Behav 5:53–54
Distel H, Hudson R (1984) Nipple-search performance by rabbit pups: Changes with age and time of day. Anim Behav 32:501–507
Gudden von B (1870) Experimentaluntersuchungen über das peripherische und centrale Nervensystem. Arch Psychiat 2:693–723
Hofer MA, Shair H, Singh P (1976) Evidence that maternal ventral skin substances promote suckling in infant rats. Physiol Behav 17:131–136
Hofer MA, Fisher A, Shair H (1981) Effects of infraorbital nerve section on survival, growth and suckling behaviors of developing rats. J Comp Physiol Psychol 95:123–133
Hudson R (in press) Do newborn rabbits learn the odor stimuli releasing nipple-search behavior? Dev Psychobiol
Hudson R, Distel H (1982) The pattern of behaviour of rabbit pups in the nest. Behaviour 79:255–271
Hudson R, Distel H (1983) Nipple location by newborn rabbits: Behavioural evidence for pheromonal guidance. Behaviour 85:260–275
Hudson R, Distel H (1984) Nipple-search pheromone in rabbits: Dependence on season and reproductive state. J Comp Physiol A 155:13–17
Hudson R, Distel H (1985) The pheromonal release of nipplesearch behavior in newborn rabbits does not depend on the vomeronasal organ. Soc Neurosci Abstr 11
Kenyon P, Cronin P, Keeble S (1983) Role of the infraorbital nerve in retrieving behavior in lactating rats. Behav Neurol 97:255–269
Kovach JK, Kling A (1967) Mechanisms of neonate sucking behaviour in the kitten. Anim Behav 15:91–101
Larson MA, Stein BE (1984) The use of tactile and olfactory cues in neonatal orientation and localization of the nipple. Dev Psychobiol 17:423–436
Leveteau J, MacLeod P, Daval G (1969) Étude electrophysiologique de la discrimination lateral en olfaction. Physiol Behav 4:479–482
Lincoln DW (1974) Suckling: A time-constant in the nursing behaviour of the rabbit. Physiol Behav 13:711–714
MacDonnell M, Flynn JP (1966) Sensory control of hypothalamic attack. Anim Behav 14:399–405
Müller K (1978) Zum Saugverhalten von Kaninchen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Geruchsvermögens. Dissertation, Gießen
Prechtl HFR, Schleidt WM (1950) Auslösende und steuernde Mechanismen des Saugaktes. I. Z Vergl Physiol 32:257–262
Prechtl HFR, Schleidt WM (1951) Auslösende und steuernde Mechanismen des Saugaktes. II. Z Vergl Physiol 33:53–62
Rosenblatt JS (1971) Suckling and home orientation in the kitten: A comparative developmental study. In: Tobach E, Aronson LR, Shaw E (eds) The biopsychology of development. Academic Press, New York, pp 345–410
Schley P (1977) Die Ausschaltung des Geruchsvermögens und sein Einfluß auf das Saugverhalten von Jungkaninchen. Berl Münch Tierärztl Wochenschr 90:382–385
Schley P (1981) Geruchssinn und Saugverhalten bei Jungkaninchen. Kleintierpraxis 26:261–263
Singh PJ, Tobach E (1975) Olfactory bulbectomy and nursing behavior in rat pups (Wistar DAB). Dev Psychobiol 8:151–164
Singh PJ, Tucker AM, Hofer MA (1976) Effects of nasal ZnSO4 irrigation and olfactory bulbectomy on rat pups. Physiol Behav 17:373–382
Teicher MH, Blass EM (1976) Suckling in newborn rats: Eliminated by nipple lavage, reinstated by pup saliva. Science 193:422–425
Teicher MH, Flaum LE, Williams M, Eckhert SJ, Lumia AR (1978) Survival, growth, and suckling behavior of neonatally bulbectomized rats. Physiol Behav 21:553–561
Zarrow MX, Denenberg VH, Anderson CO (1965) Rabbit: Frequency of suckling in the pup. Science 150:1835–1836
Zeigler HP, Semba K, Egger MD, Jaquin MF (1984) Trigeminal sensorimotor mechanisms and eating in the rat. Brain Res 308:149–154
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Distel, H., Hudson, R. The contribution of the olfactory and tactile modalities to the nipple-search behaviour of newborn rabbits. J. Comp. Physiol. 157, 599–605 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01351354
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01351354