Social isolation induces preference for odours of oestrous females in sexually naive male staggerer mutant mice

Cytochrome oxidase activity in the olfactory system of staggerer mutant mice

The staggerer mutation is characterized by the disruption of a single recessive gene encoding for the nuclear hormone receptor RORalpha. In addition to the well-studied gene expression in the cerebellum causing massive primary Purkinje cell loss, the RORalpha gene is also expressed in the thalamus and the olfactory bulb. A quantitative histochemical study of cytochrome oxidase activity was performed in staggerer mutants and their respective controls in order to determine whether olfactory bulb neuropathology leads to neuronal metabolic alterations in olfactory and related limbic regions. In the staggerer olfactory bulb, the core and the shell of the glomeruli had lower levels of cytochrome activity, whereas higher levels were found in the external plexiform and granular layers. Other olfactory and limbic regions were unchanged, except for a higher level in the accessory olfactory bulb and a lower level in the most ventral part of the medial orbital cortex. These results are discussed with regard to the olfactory deficits and changes in social interactions previously observed in this mutant.

Functional alterations in the olfactory bulb of the staggerer mutant mouse

Putative alterations of the functional activity in the staggerer mutant mouse olfactory bulb neuronal network have been studied by recording odor induced evoked field potentials (EFP) in the mitral cells layer. In standard conditions, the main feature observed in mutants was a significant increase in latency preceding the functional response of the mitral cells to the odorant. In these animals, all parameters of the average EFP were widely modified when compared with those recorded in wild mice. Amplitudes and most of the duration of the EFP phases were significantly decreased. Functional alterations were discussed according to the structural disorganization previously described in staggerer mutant mouse olfactory bulb.

Discrimination of olfactory sexual cues in staggerer mutant male mice

Generally, staggerer male mice do not express any preference between oestrous and anoestrous female odours in a choice test situation. The staggerer ability to discriminate between these olfactory sexual cues was evaluated in an habituation-dishabituation paradigm. In this situation it was found that the staggerer mice discriminate between these two odours. The lack of sexual odour preference in staggerer male mice is discussed through hormonal and neurological interpretation.