García LI, García-Bañuelos P, Aranda-Abreu GE, Herrera-Meza G, Coria-Avila GA, Manzo J. Activation of the cerebellum by olfactory stimulation in sexually naive male rats.
Neurologia 2014;
30:264-9. [PMID:
24704247 DOI:
10.1016/j.nrl.2014.02.002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The cerebellum has been linked to multiple functions, such as motor control, cognition, memory, and emotional processing. As for its involvement in the sensory systems, the role of the cerebellum in the sense of smell remains unclear. We suggest that sexually naive male rats will present increased neuronal activity in the cerebellar vermis after being stimulated with almond odour or oestrous odour from receptive females.
METHODS
We compared activity in the cerebellar vermis using Fos immunoreactivity after olfactory stimulation. Stimulation took place during 60 min in a cube-shaped acrylic chamber with a double bottom. Stimuli were clean woodchip bedding, bedding with almond extract, and bedding taken from a cage of receptive females. Male rats were subsequently anaesthetised with intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital. Cerebellar tissue was fixed with paraformaldehyde for later immunohistochemical analysis.
RESULTS
The number of Fos immunoreactive cells in all lobes of the cerebellar vermis was similar between groups stimulated with almond extract and with oestrous odour, and higher than in the clean woodchip group.
CONCLUSIONS
Stimulation of the main olfactory system (almond) and the accessory system (oestrous odour) increases Fos protein production in the granular layer of the cortex of the cerebellar vermis in naive male rats.
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