Effects of central and peripheral anosmia on reproduction of female mice

Anosmia, induced either by removal of the olfactory bulbs or by a ZnSO₄ flush of the nasal epithelium, resulted in lengthened and irregular estrous cycles in mice as determined by vaginal lavage. When mated with males, anosmic females conceived but at a rate lower than sham controls. Both central and peripheral anosmia disrupted nest building and maternal care but the severity of the effect was greater among centrally anosmic females. These results indicate that the sense of smell is essential for normal ovarian rhythmicity in the mouse and that bulbectomy produced more severe disruption of nest building and maternal care than anosmia alone.