TY - JOUR
T1 - Behavioral Responses of the Chronically Instrumented Sheep Fetus to Chemosensory Stimuli Presented in Utero
AU - Robinson, Scott R.
AU - Wong, Chi H.
AU - Robertson, Steven S.
AU - Nathanielsz, Peter W.
AU - Smotherman, William P.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1995/6
Y1 - 1995/6
N2 - Fetal sheep were surgically prepared on Days 113-114 of gestation with an array of chronic instruments for recording electromyographic data (EMG) in oral-facial, axial, and limb muscles and heart rate (FHR). Fetuses also were fitted with an intraoral catheter for infusion of chemosensory fluids (isotonic saline, quinine, colostrum, sucrose) onto the surface of the tongue. Individual subjects received chemosensory infusions on Days 134-137. Fetuses showed consistent oral responses to quinine and milk, but did not respond to isotonic saline or sucrose. Different patterns of motor responses suggested that fetuses discriminated among different concentrations of quinine. The expression of tachycardia to quinine and bradycardia to milk also suggested differential responding to chemosensory fluids that differ in hedonic qualities. Detailed characterization of fetal responses to these stimuli in utero confirm the functionality of the gustatory system in the sheep fetus near term.
AB - Fetal sheep were surgically prepared on Days 113-114 of gestation with an array of chronic instruments for recording electromyographic data (EMG) in oral-facial, axial, and limb muscles and heart rate (FHR). Fetuses also were fitted with an intraoral catheter for infusion of chemosensory fluids (isotonic saline, quinine, colostrum, sucrose) onto the surface of the tongue. Individual subjects received chemosensory infusions on Days 134-137. Fetuses showed consistent oral responses to quinine and milk, but did not respond to isotonic saline or sucrose. Different patterns of motor responses suggested that fetuses discriminated among different concentrations of quinine. The expression of tachycardia to quinine and bradycardia to milk also suggested differential responding to chemosensory fluids that differ in hedonic qualities. Detailed characterization of fetal responses to these stimuli in utero confirm the functionality of the gustatory system in the sheep fetus near term.
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U2 - 10.1037/0735-7044.109.3.551
DO - 10.1037/0735-7044.109.3.551
M3 - Article
C2 - 7662165
AN - SCOPUS:0029038732
VL - 109
SP - 551
EP - 562
JO - Behavioral Neuroscience
JF - Behavioral Neuroscience
SN - 0735-7044
IS - 3
ER -