Sapolsky R M, Eichenbaum H
Brain Behav Evol. 1980;17(4):276-90. doi: 10.1159/000121804.
The role of the thalamocortical "olfactory" pathway in odor preferences and sexual behavior was examined in the hamster, a species which depends crucially upon olfaction for mating. Before and after ablation of primary or secondary olfactory structures, male hamsters were tested for threshold, interest, and preference for the odor of an estrus female hamster and other odors. Sexual competency was also observed in daily mating sessions. Disruption of the primary olfactory pathway resulted in an absence of interest in odors and mating. Lesions of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus or frontal neocortex of the rhinal sulcus did not result in anosmia, but did eliminate or alter odor preferences and resulted in inappropriate, inefficient, precopulatory and copulatory behavior. It appears that substructures in the thalamofrontal pathway playa role in discriminative or cognitive aspects of processing adaptively significant stimuli.
在仓鼠（一种在交配过程中极度依赖嗅觉的物种）身上，研究了丘脑皮质“嗅觉”通路在气味偏好和性行为中的作用。在切除初级或次级嗅觉结构之前和之后，对雄性仓鼠进行了测试，以检测它们对处于发情期的雌性仓鼠气味及其他气味的阈值、兴趣和偏好。还在每日交配过程中观察了性能力。初级嗅觉通路的破坏导致对气味和交配缺乏兴趣。内侧背侧丘脑核或鼻沟额叶新皮质的损伤并未导致嗅觉丧失，但确实消除或改变了气味偏好，并导致了不适当、低效的求偶前和交配行为。丘脑额叶通路中的亚结构似乎在处理适应性重要刺激的辨别或认知方面发挥作用。
