Hofer M A, Fisher A, Shair H
J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1981 Feb;95(1):123-33. doi: 10.1037/h0077758.
Previous studies on sensory control of nursing in the rat have emphasized local olfactory cues. This study examined the role of tactile sensory processes by surgical section of the infraorbital nerve in rats at 17, 12, 7, and less than 1 day of postnatal age. All sectioned rats showed anesthesia of snout, upper lip, and vibrissal pads, and severe impairment of nipple attachment for at least the first day after denervation. Seven-day-old pups failed to recover, and all died after 3-6 days of relentless weight loss. Seventeen-day-old pups showed no weight loss after denervation if already weaned to solid food, but they lost weight for 3 days, and 25% failed to recover. Behavioral observations showed that denervated pups were activated by the mother's ventrum and probed for the nipple in the appropriate area but failed to focus head sweeping or licking and mouthing on the nipple itself and did not attach even when the nipple was inserted into the intact sensory areas of the mouth. Recovery after nerve section did not appear to be due to nerve regeneration. The data show that tactile cues are not necessary for normal nursing in the rat and suggest that important tactile sensorimotor adaptations may occur during the early and late phases of nursing.
先前关于大鼠护理感觉控制的研究强调了局部嗅觉线索。本研究通过在出生后17天、12天、7天和不到1天的大鼠中手术切断眶下神经，研究了触觉感觉过程的作用。所有切断神经的大鼠在去神经支配后的至少第一天，均表现出吻部、上唇和触须垫麻醉，以及乳头附着严重受损。7日龄的幼崽未能恢复，在持续体重减轻3 - 6天后全部死亡。如果已经断奶并开始食用固体食物，17日龄的幼崽在去神经支配后没有体重减轻，但它们体重减轻了3天，25%未能恢复。行为观察表明，去神经支配的幼崽会被母鼠的腹部激活，并在合适的区域探寻乳头，但未能将头部扫动或舔舐和口部动作集中在乳头本身，即使乳头插入到口腔完整的感觉区域也无法附着。神经切断后的恢复似乎不是由于神经再生。数据表明，触觉线索对于大鼠的正常护理并非必要，并提示在护理的早期和晚期阶段可能会发生重要的触觉感觉运动适应。
