Title: Evidence for a peripheral olfactory memory in imprinted salmon.

Authors: Nevitt, G A; Dittman, A H; Quinn, T P; Moody Jr, W J

Published In Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, (1994 May 10)

Abstract: The remarkable homing ability of salmon relies on olfactory cues, but its cellular basis is unknown. To test the role of peripheral olfactory receptors in odorant memory retention, we imprinted coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to micromolar concentrations of phenyl ethyl alcohol during parr-smolt transformation. The following year, we measured phenyl ethyl alcohol responses in the peripheral receptor cells using patch clamp. Cells from imprinted fish showed increased sensitivity to phenyl ethyl alcohol compared either to cells from naive fish or to sensitivity to another behaviorally important odorant (L-serine). Field experiments verified an increased behavioral preference for phenyl ethyl alcohol by imprinted salmon as adults. Thus, some component of the imprinted olfactory homestream memory appears to be retained peripherally.

PubMed ID: 7514302

MeSH Terms: Animals; Behavior, Animal*; Chemoreceptor Cells/drug effects; Chemoreceptor Cells/physiology*; Electrophysiology/methods; Membrane Potentials/drug effects; Memory/physiology*; Odorants; Oncorhynchus kisutch; Phenylethyl Alcohol; Serine/pharmacology; Smell*; Time Factors