Programa de Neurobiología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Ver., Mexico.
Physiol Behav. 2011 Oct 24;104(5):1016-23. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.06.026. Epub 2011 Jul 14.
Rats can display a conditioned partner preference for individuals that bear an odor previously associated with sexual reward. Herein we tested the possibility that odors associated with the reward induced by social play in prepubescent rats would induce a conditioned partner preference in adulthood. Two groups of 31-day-old, single-housed female rats were formed, and were given daily 30-min periods of social play with scented females. In one group, almond scent was paired with juvenile play during conditioning trials, whereas lemon scent functioned as a novel odor in the final test. The counterbalanced group received the opposite association. At age 42, females were tested for play partner preference with two males, one almond-scented and one lemon-scented. In both groups females displayed a play partner preference only for males scented with the paired odor. They were ovariectomized, hormone-primed, and at age 55 were tested for sexual partner preference with two scented stud males. Females displayed a sexual preference towards males scented with the paired odor as observed with more visits, solicitations, hops and darts, intromissions and ejaculations. These results indicate that olfactory stimuli paired with juvenile play affects later partner choice for play as well as for sex in female rats.
老鼠可以表现出对带有先前与性奖励相关气味的个体的条件性伴侣偏好。在此，我们测试了与青春期前大鼠社交玩耍所诱导的奖励相关的气味是否会在成年期诱导出条件性伴侣偏好。将两组 31 天大、单独饲养的雌性大鼠分组，并给予每天 30 分钟带有香味的雌性大鼠进行社交玩耍。在一组中，杏仁气味与幼年玩耍在条件作用试验中配对，而柠檬气味在最后试验中作为新气味起作用。对照组则进行相反的关联。在 42 岁时，用两只雄性大鼠（一只带有杏仁气味，另一只带有柠檬气味）测试雌性大鼠的玩耍伴侣偏好。在两组中，雌性大鼠仅对带有配对气味的雄性大鼠表现出玩耍伴侣偏好。它们被卵巢切除术、激素预处理，并在 55 岁时用两只带有气味的种公鼠测试性伴侣偏好。雌性大鼠对带有配对气味的雄性大鼠表现出性偏好，表现为更多的访问、求爱、跳跃和猛冲、插入和射精。这些结果表明，与幼年玩耍相关联的嗅觉刺激会影响雌性大鼠后期对玩耍和性伴侣的选择。
