Fear-like behavioral responses in mice in different odorant environments: Trigeminal versus olfactory mediation under low doses

• Published in: Behavioural processes Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 161 - 166
• Main Authors: Galliot, Emmanuel, Laurent, Lucie, Hacquemand, Romain, Pourié, Gregory, Millot, Jean-Louis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: 2,4,5-Trimethylthiazoline; Analysis of Variance; Animal ethology; Animals; Anosmia; Anxiety; Anxiety - chemically induced; Avoidance behavior; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Corticosterone; Corticosterone - blood; Feces; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Mice - psychology; Odor; Odorants; Odors; Olfaction Disorders - chemically induced; Olfactory Perception - physiology; Olfactory preferences; Olfactory system; phenyl ethyl alcohol; Phenylethyl Alcohol - pharmacology; Predator odor; Predators; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Rose odor; Stimulants; Thiazoles - pharmacology; Toluene; Toluene - pharmacology; Trigeminal; Trigeminal Ganglion - physiology; Trigeminal nerve; Predator odor; Rose odor; Anxiety; Odors; 2,4,5-Trimethylthiazoline; Trigeminal; 2.4,5-Trimethylthiazoline; Low dose; Rodentia; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Olfaction; Environment; Behavior; Predator; Odor
• ISSN: 0376-6357; 1872-8308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.01.002

► Trigeminal properties and ecological significance with 3 different odors was tested. ► Mice avoided TMT and toluene odors. ► Anxious behaviors observed when exposed to TMT. ► Exposure to PEA induced “anxiolytic” effects. Odors can have repulsive effects on rodents based on two complementary adaptive behaviors: the avoidance of predator odors (potentially dangerous) and the avoidance of trigeminal stimulants (potentially noxious). The present study aimed to compare the behavioral effects on mice of odors according to their trigeminal properties and ecological significance. We used three different odors: 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT: a fox feces odor frequently used to elicit fear-induced behaviors), toluene (a strong stimulant of the trigeminal system) and phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA: a selective stimulant of the olfactory system). First, we checked preference and avoidance behaviors in mice with and without anosmia towards these odors to ensure their olfactory/trigeminal properties. Secondly, we used a standard test (open-field and elevated plus-maze) to assess the behaviors of mice when exposed to these odors. The results show that the anosmic and control mice both avoided TMT and toluene odors. In the open-field and the elevated plus-maze, mice exhibited “anxious” behaviors when exposed to TMT. Conversely, exposure to PEA induced “anxiolytic” effects confirmed by low blood corticosterone levels resulting from completion of the elevated plus-maze. Compared with TMT exposure, toluene exposure induced moderate “anxious” effects.