Response of male mice to odours of female mice in different stages of oestrous cycle: Self-grooming behaviour and the effect of castration.

The behavioural assays were carried out in a Y-maze wherein intact, castrated and testosterone-treated male mice were exposed to oestrus and non-oestrus urine samples. The intact male mice investigated more frequently and spent more time in the Y-maze arm with oestrus urine than in that with non-oestrus urine. In contrast, the castrated mice were not attracted to oestrus urine, whereas testosterone-treated mice showed preference for oestrus urine. The rate of self-grooming was higher in intact males in case of exposure to oestrus urine while the rate was lower with respect to non-oestrus urine. However, castrated mice exhibited less self-grooming behaviour which was partially restored by testosterone treatment. The results suggest that self-grooming behaviour is an indicator of detection and discrimination of oestrus by males, and supports the androgen role in male chemosensory ability to discriminate between oestrus and non-oestrus female odours.

Responsiveness of male rats towards odour of five scent sources of male and female rats

Avaliamos a responsividade comportamental de ratos machos a odores, tanto de ratos machos quanto de fêmeas. Esses odores foram coletados de várias fontes, como glândulas prepuciais, glândulas da bochecha, porçäo ventral do corpo, urina e fezes. Os machos responsivos foram atraídos por cheiros de machos, principalmente da porçäo ventral do corpo, da urina e das fezes. Os machos näo foram atraídos pelos odores masculinos das glândulas prepuciais e glândulas da bochecha. Além disso, os machos responsivos foram atraídos pelos vários odores das fêmeas. Dentre as cinco fontes odoríferas examinadas, os odores das fezes, urina e porçäo ventral do corpo apresentaram alta significância de atraçäo.