Sexual impairment of inexperienced male rats following pre- and postpuberal olfactory bulbectomy.

Olfactory bulbectomy of sexually inexperienced male rats prevented the occurrence of sexual behavior in most of the operated animals. This effect was observed in rats bulbectomized before puberty as well as after puberty. Bulbectomized rats which had heterosexual experience prior to the operation did not deviate from intact rats. Males living in cohabition with intact males prior to the operation showed only minor deficits in their mating performances. It was concluded that the olfactory lobe while of only minor importance for maintenance of mating once sexual behavior has been initiated, plays an important role in initiation of sexual behavior of the male rat. Furthermore, since treatment with testosterone of prepuberally bulbectomized rats did not stimulate the animals to sexual activity it was concluded that the sexual impairment following bulbectomy of isolated males presumably is not due to an impaired production of gonadal secretions.