The effect of olfactory bulb lesions on agonistic, locomotory and social behavior in mice housed in aggregate.

Eleven Dublin ICR mice sustaining nearly complete bilateral aspiration lesions of the olfactory bulbs were compared to 16 sham-operated mice on the frequency of agonistic, locomotory, social, and maintenance behaviors. The animals were housed in aggregate with two cages of bulbectomized mice and two cages of shams. A time sampling technique was used to quantify the frequency of the various behaviors three times per week during one preoperative and four postoperative weeks. During the first two postoperative weeks the bulbectomized mice were observed to make frequent single bites of the head incision and tail of mice passing directly in front of them, with the bites resulting in mild to severe lesions. Following surgery, the bulbectomized mice also showed a temporary increase in locomotory responses and permanent suppression of social responses.