Age effects on pheromone induced Fos expression in olfactory bulbs of a primate

• Published in: Neuroreport Vol. 16; no. 10; pp. 1091 - 1095
• Main Authors: Cayetanot, Florence, Némoz-Bertholet, Florence, Aujard, Fabienne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 13-07-2005; Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Aging - drug effects; Aging - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cheirogaleidae - metabolism; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, fos - drug effects; Genes, fos - physiology; Lemur; Life Sciences; Male; Olfactory Bulb - drug effects; Olfactory Bulb - metabolism; Olfactory system and olfaction. Gustatory system and gustation; Primates; Sex Attractants - administration & dosage; Sex Attractants - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Senescence; fos Gene; Nonhuman primate; Central nervous system; Pheromone; c-fos; Gene expression; Encephalon; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Olfactory pathway; C-Onc gene; Olfaction; Primates; Aging; Olfactory bulb; Perception; Age; Protooncogene; Immediate early gene
• ISSN: 0959-4965; 1473-558X
• DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200507130-00012

In the gray mouse lemur, a prosimian primate, aging is associated with a reduction of olfactory behaviors and sexual stimulation. To assess the effect of aging on the central response to pheromone stimulation in this primate, we measured the c-fos expression in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs of adult and aged male mouse lemurs, following exposure to the volatile phase of urine from proestrous females. In adults, pheromone exposure increased the number of Fos-positive neurons in the main olfactory bulb without changes in the accessory olfactory bulb. Fos expression was not increased by the odorant stimulation in aged mouse lemurs. Our results may explain the age-related decrease in behaviors associated with olfactory stimulation in this primate.