Presentation Details
| Experience-dependent changes in pup odor responses in anterior piriform cortex during the onset of maternal retrieval behavior Ryan C.Scauzillo1, Keerthi Krishnan2, Billy Y.B.Lau2, Max L.Fletcher1. 1University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.2University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA |
Abstract
Mother mice display a variety of behaviors that ensure the survival of their offspring. One such behavior is retrieving pups that move out of the nest. This behavior is experience-dependent: naïve, nulliparous female mice do not reliably engage in retrieval behaviors but become increasingly efficient with pup experience. Most retrieval studies have focused on pup ultrasonic vocalizations and maternal auditory system plasticity in facilitating this switch. While the auditory system clearly plays a crucial role, previous studies in mice have shown that pup retrieval behavior is also dependent on a functional main olfactory system. For example, impaired olfactory sensory neuron function or piriform cortex (APC) lesions significantly reduce the occurrence of maternal behaviors. Despite these studies, little is known about whether or how pup odor coding may be altered following the onset of retrieval behavior. Here, we used calcium imaging in freely moving mice to explore changes in APC neuronal activity while females (n=5) interacted with pups at three time points: pre-pregnancy, as a new mother (P1), and as an experienced mother (P5). We find that mean pup-evoked APC responses were significantly higher in naïve females compared to following maternal experience, suggesting that maternal experience alters APC response strength. Interestingly, our data also show APC responses habituate over trials when females are naïve, but do not following maternal experience. Further, trial-to-trial population response correlations to pup odors become stronger with experience, suggesting that pup-evoked responses may become more consistent over time. Our findings demonstrate that like auditory cortex, APC undergoes a period of experience-induced plasticity during the transition to maternal behavior.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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