Recognition cue in the rat's social memory paradigm

The cue used by an adult resident rat for recognition of a just met juvenile in the social memory paradigm was assessed by manipulating the amount of olfactory information and enhancing the recognition with arginine8-vasopressin (AVP). Social recognition was impaired in anosmic resident rats, suggesting that the recognition cue is olfactory in nature. Washed juveniles were recognized by AVP but not placebo treated residents, independently of whether after washing they were marked with previously collected urine of the residents or not. Preputialectomized juveniles were recognized neither by placebo nor by AVP treated residents. The results suggest that the scents originating from the preputial gland of the juvenile serve as the recognition cue in the social memory paradigm of rats.