The olfactory bulbectomy model in mice and rat: one story or two tails?

Olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), the surgical removal of the olfactory bulbs, lead, both in mice and rats, to a specific set of behavioral changes in social behavior, cognitive function and activity. The latter is often used as a readout measure to predict antidepressant effects of new compounds. More recently, the model is used to study neurodegeneration and the associated cognitive decline. Although most of the OBX-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes seen in mice and rats are very similar, there are also some remarkable differences. For instance, OBX has different effects on BDNF and the 5-HT2c receptor of these two species. These species differ also in how they respond to certain treatments after OBX. In this review we describe these species-specific differences and discuss what they may mean in terms of translational value.