Brief olfactory learning drives perceptive sensitivity in newborn rabbits: New insights in peripheral processing of odor mixtures and induction

Perception of the wide, complex and moving odor world requires that olfactory system engages processing mechanisms ensuring detection, discrimination environment adaptation, as early peripheral stages. Odor items are mainly elicited by odorant mixtures which give rise to either elemental or configural perceptions. Here, we first explored contribution perception through interactions at receptor (OR) level. This was done in newborn rabbits, offer opportunity pair electrophysiology well characterized behavioral responses two binary mixtures, AB A'B’, differ their component ratio (A: ethyl isobutyrate, B: maltol), rabbit pups respectively perceived configurally elementally. Second, studied influence on reactivity brief but powerful learning one mixture (odorant B), conditioned association with mammary pheromone (MP), allowed us assess possible implication phenomenon called induction neonatal learning. Induction is a plasticity mechanism expected alter both electrophysiological to, perceptual detection threshold of, stimulus. The results reveal modes partly rooted differential processes, mirroring antagonist OR level lesser extent than A'B’ elementally mixture. Further, highlight single MP-induced episode sufficient stimulus including it, shifts towards lower concentrations. Thus, relies rabbits.