Kaba H, Rosser A E, Keverne E B
Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, U.K.
Neuroscience. 1988 Jan;24(1):93-8. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(88)90314-4.
On mating with a stud male, virgin female mice from an olfactory memory to this male which is essential to their reproductive success. Failure to form this memory results in the stud male being treated as strange, and hence, his pheromones block pregnancy. This study investigates the duration of the olfactory memory, and the factors which determine this. The results show that a single prolonged exposure to the male during mating forms a life-long olfactory memory trace unless pregnancy ensues. In the event of pregnancy the olfactory memory fades significantly faster, an effect which can be replicated by implants of oestradiol in non-pregnant females. Anatomical studies indicate that neurogenesis of the vomeronasal receptors is enhanced during pregnancy, an event which we interpret as being important for the duration of this olfactory memory.
与种鼠交配时，来自嗅觉记忆的处女雌鼠对该种鼠的记忆对其繁殖成功至关重要。未能形成这种记忆会导致种鼠被视为陌生个体，因此，其信息素会阻碍怀孕。本研究调查了嗅觉记忆的持续时间以及决定该持续时间的因素。结果表明，交配期间单次长时间接触雄性会形成终身的嗅觉记忆痕迹，除非随后怀孕。如果怀孕，嗅觉记忆消退得明显更快，这种效应可通过在未怀孕雌性体内植入雌二醇来复制。解剖学研究表明，怀孕期间犁鼻器受体的神经发生会增强，我们认为这一事件对这种嗅觉记忆的持续时间很重要。
