Olfactory bulbectomy in infant rats: survival, growth and ingestive behaviors.

HILL, D. L. AND C. R. ALMLI. Olfactory bulbectomy in infant rats: Survival, growth and ingestive behaviors. PHYSIOL. BEHAV. 27(5) 811-817, 1981.--Growth and ingestive behaviors were measured for rats sustaining bilateral olfactory bulbectomies at 1 or 10 days of age. Tests designed to examine nipple-attachment capabilities were accomplished before weaning, and tests designed to examine drinking (e.g., water-deprivation), feeding (e.g., amphetamine-anorexia), and taste-related behaviors (e.g., quinine finickiness) were conducted from 35--150 days of age. Pups bulbectomized at 1 day of age displayed less severe nipple-attachment deficits than pups bulbectomized at 10 days of age; however, body weights of both bulbectomized groups were significantly below that of controls from the first day postsurgery through 150 days of age. Bulbectomized rats differed from controls on some drinking, feeding, and taste-related measures; deficits occurred most consistently on taste-related measures. The results are discussed in terms of neural and behavioral plasticity of developing animals sustaining neural damage.