Exploratory behavior and spontaneous alternation in blind and anosmic rats.

Abstract

Tested 4 groups of 10 albino rats anosmic (A) as a result of olfactory bulb ablations, peripherally blinded (B), anosmic and blind (AB), and controls for exploratory tendencies as measured by the number of squares entered in an open-field maze in 10-min sessions on 3 consecutive days, and were tested 8 days for spontaneous alternation in a T maze. All experimental groups exhibited increases in exploration and, except for B, decreases in rate of alternation. Although all Ss displayed intrasession habituation in the open field, A and AB failed to habituate between sessions. Results suggest that the olfactory bulbs are involved in the inhibitory processes necessary for habituation of exploration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)