Recovery of olfactory behavior following removal of accessory olfactory bulb in adult rat.

It has been shown that male rats demonstrate a preference for the odor of the female rat. This preference has been suggested to be a function of the accessory olfactory pathway. Thus, changes in preference of the male rat for the odor of the female were examined following accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) removal. Preference decreased to about 30% of that seen in the intact rat during the 10 days following AOB removal. Thereafter, it increased gradually over one month survival time up to approximately 70% of the level demonstrated by the intact rat. The rats whose main olfactory bulb and AOB were removed did not show any recovery at any survival time. The time course of the behavioral recovery after AOB removal was compared with the time course of the recovery of synaptic density which was observed in the medial amygdaloid nucleus after AOB removal. The relationship between functional recovery and reorganization of synaptic connections is discussed.