Stimulus control of aggressive behavior in androgenized female mice

doi:10.1016/S0091-6773(74)92026-4

Behavioral Biology

Volume 10, Issue 4, April 1974, Pages 447-459

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0091-6773(74)92026-4 Get rights and content

An attempt was made to determine whether olfactory stimuli modulate the aggressive behavior of female mice that are exposed to testosterone propionate (TP) perinatally and as adults. The first experiment showed that olfactory bulbectomy eliminated aggressive behavior of androgenized females. The second experiment demonstrated that androgenized females attacked castrate females treated with TP and bulbectomized males, but seldom attacked castrate or intact females. Experiments 3 and 4 showed that urine from males or urine from TP-treated castrate females enhanced the display of aggression by androgenized females, while an artificial odorant or urine from intact females inhibited aggression. Thus, olfactory stimuli were shown to profoundly influence the aggressive behavior of androgenized female mice and they did so in a manner similar to that reported for males.

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Cited by (8)

Studies on opponent status and steroid mediation of aggression in female mice
1978, Behavioral Biology
The first experiment explored the effects of testosterone or estradiol-17β on the aggressive behavior of adult female mice paired against olfactory bulbectomized male opponents. Ovariectomized females implanted with Silastic capsules containing testosterone repeatedly attacked their opponents, but females implanted with estradiol remained nonaggressive. In a second experiment, females implanted with testosterone were highly aggressive toward intact male opponents. These females were less aggressive toward intact females, but they did not distinguish behaviorally between male and female opponents as distinctly as intact males did. This suggests that androgen-treated females are less responsive than are males to “aggression-inhibiting” stimuli from female opponents.
Testosterone-induced aggression in adult female mice
1977, Hormones and Behavior
Silastic implants of testosterone (T) and injections of testosterone propionate (TP) were used to study the effects of ovariectomy and androgen administration on the fighting behavior of adult female mice. A dose of T previously shown to hyperstimulate accessory organ growth in adult male castrates was sufficient to induce the complete behavioral repertoire of male-like aggression in females never before treated with exogenous androgen. As determined by radioimmunoassay, blood levels of T produced by implants containing an aggression-inducing dose of T (10-mg implant) were within the range of T concentrations observed in intact males. Following treatment with a 10-mg T implant, the aggressive behavior of ovariectomized females could be fully maintained with a dose of T (0.3-mg implant) that failed to maintain weight of the accessory organs in adult male castrates. In fact, females “androgenized” were subsequently more responsive to the aggression-activating properties of T than were males castrated after prenatal and perinatal androgen exposure.
Testicular hormones reduce individual differences in the aggressive behavior of male mice: A theory of hormone action
1988, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
A chronology of theoretical development in studies of the role of testicular hormones in murine aggression is presented. Evidence which brings into question the generality of current theory is reviewed, and the implications of this evidence for the direction of future research are discussed. A new method by which to characterize individual differences in aggressive behavior is described, and recent data which provide the basis for the development of a new theory are presented. It is theorized that testicular hormones reduce individual differences in the aggressive behavior of male mice, and that this behavioral “homogenization” is mediated by a testicular-hormone regulated “discrimination mechanism,” possibly localized within the mouse olfactory system. The generality of this theory and the implications for other hormone/behavior systems are also discussed.
Gonadal hormones and sensory function
1983, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
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2024, Animals
Who's the Boss? Assessing Convergent Validity of Aggression Based Dominance Measures in Male Laboratory Mice, Mus Musculus
2021, Frontiers in Veterinary Science

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¹: This research was supported by funds from the Biomedical Science Support Grant from USPHS, by Grant 07-2126 from the Research Council of Rutgers University, and by Grants HD-06863 and HD-06572 from NICHD, NIH. Requests for reprints should be addressed to R. Gandelman, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, 88 College Avenue, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903.

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Behavioral Biology

References (16)

Neonatal androgen administration and adult aggressiveness in female mice

Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.

The development of standard stimulus animals for mouse (Mus musculus) aggression testing by means of olfactory bulbectomy

Anim. Behav.

Olfactory control of sexual behavior in the male and early androgenized female hamster

Horm. Behav.

Early androgen stimulation and aggressive behavior in male and female mice

Physiol. Behav.

Olfactory and hormonal influences on the basal forebrain of the male rat

Brain Res.

The relation between olfactory stimulation and aggressive behavior in mice

Anim. Behav.

The effect of male hormone on aggressive behavior in mice

Physiol. Zool.

Responses to feminine odors in normal and castrated males rats

J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.

Cited by (8)

Studies on opponent status and steroid mediation of aggression in female mice

Testosterone-induced aggression in adult female mice

Testicular hormones reduce individual differences in the aggressive behavior of male mice: A theory of hormone action

Gonadal hormones and sensory function

Bite Wounds and Dominance Structures in Male and Female African Spiny Mice (Acomys cahirinus): Implications for Animal Welfare and the Generalizability of Experimental Results

Who's the Boss? Assessing Convergent Validity of Aggression Based Dominance Measures in Male Laboratory Mice, Mus Musculus

Stimulus control of aggressive behavior in androgenized female mice1

Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.

Anim. Behav.

Horm. Behav.

Physiol. Behav.

Brain Res.

Anim. Behav.

The effect of male hormone on aggressive behavior in mice

Physiol. Zool.

Responses to feminine odors in normal and castrated males rats

J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.