Multipup homing: a rapid test for olfactory discrimination in neonatal rats

The multipup homing procedure (MHP) is a rapid test for olfactory discrimination performance that can be run on an entire 8-pup litter of neonatal rats in 8 min. Performance improved developmentally with age, and females tended to perform better than males. The MHP was examined for its usefulness in detecting early postnatal effects of low-level prenatal exposure to chlorpromazine (CPZ) or d-amphetamine (AMPH). CPZ increased response latencies in both males and females, but AMPH had no significant effects. The MHP appears promising for use in behavioral teratological assessment of neurobehavioral function.