Long-term increases in the numerical density of synapses in the chick lobus parolfactorius after passive avoidance training

Passive avoidance training has been shown to cause an increase in synaptic density (Nvsyn) in the lobus parolfactorius (LPO) of the one-day old chick. The present study was conducted to investigate the time-course over which this plastic change takes place. Two groups of chicks were trained to peck at either a water coated bead (Control) or a methyl-anthranilate coated bead (M-trained). M-trained chicks showed avoidance responses when offered a similar but dry bead, 30 min later. Right and left hemisphere LPOs were obtained at intervals of 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after training. Synaptic counts were made using a 3-dimensional stereological probe; the 'dissector'. A significantly larger mean Nvsyn (31%) was found in the left hemisphere of M-trained chicks 24 h after training, compared with Control chicks, and the difference fell to 10% at 48 h post-training. M-trained chicks also had a greater Nvsyn (17%) in the right hemisphere at 48 h post-training. The bilaterality of these findings is of particular interest, since unilateral lesions of the LPO fail to produce amnesia for the avoidance task. The importance of these results in the process of memory formation is discussed.