Survival of new neurons in the olfactory bulb after paced mating by the female rat (#291)
One paced mating encounter increases the number of newborn cells in the granular layer of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) in the female rat 16 days after mating. However, after 45 days no differences were observed in the number of cells between the different experimental groups including the paced mating group. Furthermore, the repetition of the stimulus (paced mating), has a potentiating effect on the number of new neurons at 16 days compared with the group with only one pacing session. In the present study we evaluated if repeating the stimulus, four paced mating sessions, could increase the survival of new neurons in the olfactory bulb 45 days after the first session of paced sexual contact. Sexually-naive female rats were bilaterally ovariectomized, hormonally supplemented and randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) without sexual contact, 2) one session of paced mating during 1h, 3) four sessions of paced mating of 1h each, 4) four sessions of non-paced mating during 1h each and 5) four sessions in which females were exposed, without mating, to a sexually experience male rat. The results showed that the effect on survival of new cells induced by repeated paced mating at 16 days was not observed at 45 days. However, an increase in the proportion of new neurons in the AOB was observed in the group that repeatedly paced the sexual interaction suggesting that this type of stimulation which induces important behavioral and physiological changes that favor reproduction also produce permanent plastic changes in the BOA. Supported by CONACYT 167101 and PAPIT IN200512. We thank Francisco Camacho for his technical assistance.