Role in Behavior
The olfactory tubercle has been shown to be primarily concerned with the reception of sensory impulses from olfactory receptors (Adey 1959). Because of its connections to regions like the amygdala and hippocampus, the olfactory tubercle may play a role in behavior. Rats rely heavily on olfactory sensory input from olfactory receptors for behavioral attitudes (Barnet 1963). Studies show that bilateral lesions in the olfactory tubercle significantly reduce stereotyped behavior (McKenzie 1972; Asher & Aghajanian 1974) such as copulatory behavior in male rats and a reduction in sniffing and chewing behaviors (Koob et al. 1978). These stereotyped inhibitions may have been caused by the removal of central neuronal processes other than the dopaminergic cells in the olfactory tubercle. Unilateral lesions have been shown to alter attention, social and sensory responsiveness and even locomotor behavior in rats (Koob et al. 1978).
Read more about this topic: Olfactory Tubercle
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