ODOR DISCRIMINATION IN PIGEONS FOLLOWING SECTION OF OLFACTORY NERVES

Trained 3 pigeons with intact olfactory nerves to criterion conditioned suppression to an amyl acetate concentration of 3% vapor saturation. Following the bilateral sectioning of the olfactory nerves, no odor discrimination was exhibited upon presentation of the 3% stimulus. Increasing the concentration to 10% of vapor saturation resulted in the establishment of criterion discrimination. The addition of 5 nonshock trials/session with a butyl acetate stimulus of equal relative vapor pressure produced criterion discrimination between the 2 odorants. The descending and ascending modified method of limits thresholds to amyl acetate, ranging .42-1.33% of vapor saturation across Ss, showed intrasubject stability for 8 consecutive sessions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.