Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
10:42

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Antenatal olfactory learning influences infant feeding

Katsumi Mizuno1, Aki Ueda

  • 1Chiba Children's Hospital, Division of Neonatology, 579-1, Heta-cho, Midori, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan. katsuorobi@aol.com

Early Human Development
|February 6, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Antenatal olfactory learning, acquired before birth, significantly impacts infant feeding behaviors more than postnatal learning. This preference for maternal milk odor influences infant sucking activity even without direct maternal cues.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Infant Nutrition

Background:

  • Olfactory learning plays a crucial role in early infant development and feeding behaviors.
  • Understanding the relative influence of antenatal versus postnatal olfactory experiences is key to comprehending infant feeding.
  • Infant's ability to recognize and prefer specific odors, like maternal milk, is critical for successful breastfeeding and nutrition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if antenatal olfactory learning has a greater impact on infant feeding than postnatal olfactory learning.
  • To assess infant sucking behavior in response to olfactory cues in the absence of direct maternal contact.
  • To investigate the role of learned odor preferences in modulating infant sucking activity.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated sucking behavior (pressure, frequency, efficiency) in 12 infants (10-14 days old) during bottle-feeding.
  • Infants were separated from mothers for 10-14 days post-birth.
  • Tested responses to odors of mother's milk, formula, and water.

Main Results:

  • Mother's milk odor elicited significantly more frequent sucking compared to formula or water.
  • Infants exhibited higher expression pressure when exposed to the odor of mother's milk.
  • These results suggest a strong innate or antenatally learned preference for maternal milk odor.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory preferences acquired antenatally may exert a stronger influence on infant sucking activity than postnatal olfactory learning.
  • Learned odor preferences can impact infant feeding behaviors independently of immediate postnatal experience or triggering signals.
  • This highlights the importance of prenatal olfactory experiences in shaping infant feeding responses.

More Related Videos

Appetitive Associative Olfactory Learning in Drosophila Larvae09:22

Appetitive Associative Olfactory Learning in Drosophila Larvae

Published on: February 18, 2013

Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors04:56

Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors

Published on: January 25, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Instinctive Drift01:05

Instinctive Drift

Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Introduction to Learning01:18

Introduction to Learning

Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice or experience, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. This acquisition occurs through interaction with the environment and requires practice or experience. For instance, mastering a skill such as surfing requires considerable practice and experience, highlighting the essential role of repeated interactions with the environment in learning.
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...
Associative Learning01:27

Associative Learning

Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Imprinting01:22

Imprinting

Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.