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PubMed2004

Aggressive behavior in female golden hamsters: development and the effect of repeated social stress.

In male golden hamsters, agonistic behavior matures during puberty, changing from play fighting to adult-like aggression. In addition, this transition is accelerated by repeated social subjugation early in puberty. However, little is known about the development of agonistic behavior in females. In the present study, we compared the development of agonistic behavior in male and female golden hamsters. Furthermore, we also tested the effects of repeated social subjugation on the development of agonistic behavior during puberty. Hamsters were tested for agonistic behavior in the presence of a smaller intruder at different intervals during puberty. Several observations were made. First, the frequency of attacks remained stable in females, while varying in males. Second, the transition from play fighting to adult-like aggression occurred at earlier time periods in females than in males. Finally, a clear transitional period marked by attacks focused on the flanks was observable in males around mid-puberty. However, this transitional period was not apparent in females. In addition, juvenile females were exposed to aggressive adult males or females. In both cases, repeated exposure to stress had no statistically significant effect on the development of agonistic behavior. After 2 weeks of subjugation, exposure to aggressive adults had no effect on serum cortisol levels, indicating that juvenile females habituate to repeated social stress. These data show significant sex differences in the development of agonistic behavior and adaptation to repeated stress in juvenile golden hamsters.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Social environment influences the progression of atherosclerosis in the watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit.

BACKGROUND: Although there is evidence that emotionally stressful behavior can accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis, there is less data to support the notion that affiliative social behavior can slow disease progression. The present study examines the influence of social environment on the progression of atherosclerosis in the Watanabe Heritable Hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit, a model that spontaneously develops lesions because of a genetic defect in lipoprotein clearance. METHODS AND RESULTS: WHHL rabbits were assigned to 1 of 3 social or behavioral groups: an unstable group, in which unfamiliar rabbits were paired daily, with the pairing switched each week; a stable group, in which littermates were paired daily for the entire study; and an individually caged group. The stable group exhibited more affiliative social behavior and less agonistic behavior than the unstable group and significantly less aortic atherosclerosis than each of the other 2 groups. Although the unstable and individually caged groups had comparable aortic lesion areas, the severity of the disease progressed faster in the unstable group, as indexed by a larger area of calcification and increased fibrous cap thickness in complex lesions. The unstable group showed increased agonistic behavior and signs of chronic adrenocortical and gonadal activation, whereas the individually caged group was relatively sedentary, had low glucocorticoid levels, and was hyperinsulinemic compared with the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that social environment can slow, as well as accelerate, the progression of atherosclerosis. It also emphasizes the importance of behavioral factors in atherogenesis, even in a model of disease with strong genetic determinants.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed2006

Socializing piglets before weaning: effects on behavior of lactating sows, pre- and postweaning behavior, and performance of piglets.

This study evaluated how socializing piglets before weaning affects behavior of lactating sows and the pre- and postweaning behavior and performance of piglets. Two farrowing rooms, each with 6 pens, and 1 nursery with 4 pens were used. In total, data were obtained from 24 sows and their litters. In each farrowing room, the solid barriers between 3 farrowing pens were removed on d 12 after farrowing, and the sows remained confined in their crates (experimental group). In the other 3 farrowing pens of each farrowing room, sows and their litters were kept under conventional conditions until weaning (control group). All piglets were weaned 28 d after birth. After weaning, piglets from each group remained together in 1 pen of the nursery. The behavior of sows (lying, standing, sitting, nursing) and piglets (lying, active, suckling) in the farrowing rooms was observed for 24 h before and for 48 h after removal of the barriers between the pens. In addition, behavior (active, lying, feeding, agonistic behavior) of piglets was observed in the nursery during the initial 48-h period after weaning. Each piglet was weighed on d 5, 12, and 28 after birth and thereafter weekly until the fifth week of rearing. In the farrowing room, mixing of litters did not influence behavior of piglets and sows. Preweaning weight gain of the piglets did not differ (P = 0.60) between the treatments. In the initial 48 h after weaning, less agonistic behavior (P < 0.001) was observed in piglets belonging to the experimental group. During 5 wk of rearing, piglets in the experimental group gained more weight compared with the control group (P = 0.05). The advantage shown by the experimental group became especially conspicuous in the first week after weaning (P = 0.05). By socializing unfamiliar piglets before weaning, stress due to mixing could at least be distanced in time from the other burdens of weaning, thereby improving performance.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed2005

Importance of cooperation and affiliation in the evolution of primate sociality.

The idea that competition and aggression are central to an understanding of the origins of group-living and sociality among human and nonhuman primates is the dominant theory in primatology today. Using this paradigm, researchers have focused their attention on competitive and aggressive behaviors, and have tended to overlook the importance of cooperative and affiliative behaviors. However, cooperative and affiliative behaviors are considerably more common than agonistic behaviors in all primate species. The current paradigm often fails to explain the context, function, and social tactics underlying affiliative and agonistic behavior. Here, we present data on a basic question of primate sociality: how much time do diurnal, group-living primates spend in social behavior, and how much of this time is affiliative and agonistic? These data are derived from a survey of 81 studies, including 28 genera and 60 species. We find that group-living prosimians, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes usually devote less than 10% of their activity budget to active social interactions. Further, rates of agonistic behaviors are extremely low, normally less than 1% of the activity budget. If the cost to the actors of affiliative behavior is low even if the rewards are low or extremely variable, we should expect affiliation and cooperation to be frequent. This is especially true under conditions in which individuals benefit from the collective environment of living in stable social groups.

Activity Cycles↗
PubMed1999

Spinal actions of GR73632, a novel tachykinin NK1 receptor agonist.

Behavioral characterization of GR73632, a newly synthesized tachykinin NK1 receptor agonist, was examined in mice. Intrathecal (IT) injection of GR73632 in the spinal subarachnoid space of mice elicited a dose-dependent behavioral syndrome, consisting of scratching, biting and licking. The time course of the response to GR73632 was almost similar to that of substance P. GR73632 evoked much more licking and biting than did substance P, that in turn caused less scratching. GR73632 was approximately 200-fold more potent than substance P in inducing the characteristic behavioral response. The GR73632-induced behavioral response was inhibited by IT co-administration of CP-96,345, a non-peptide NK1 receptor antagonist, but not its inactive enantiomer CP-96,344. CP-96,345, co-injected IT with substance P, also inhibited the behavioral response to substance P. These results demonstrate that the scratching, biting and licking response induced by IT GR73632 may be mediated by the NK1 receptor in the spinal cord. These findings suggest that GR73632 may be useful as a tachykinin NK1 receptor agonist and also for evaluating spinal pharmacological activities of NK1 receptor antagonists.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Experimental dissociation of behavioral and cardiovascular outcome in the borderline hypertensive rat.

F1 Offspring of hypertensive and normotensive rats (BHR) were reared with either hypertensive (SHR) or normotensive (WKY) cagemates, and observations were conducted at two developmental periods to assess the effects of rearing condition on the social environment and the behavior of BHR subjects. SHR displayed significantly more agonistic behavior during development than WKY, and BHR subjects reared with SHR were the targets of significantly more agonistic behavior than BHR subjects reared with WKY cagemates. BHR reared with SHR initiated twice as much agonistic behavior as BHR reared with WKY. When heart rate and blood pressure were assessed at 75-80 days of age, however, neither the alterations in developmental social environment nor the alterations in the behavioral characteristics of BHR were associated with differences in cardiovascular variables. The results do not support a causal connection between behavioral characteristics and cardiovascular outcome.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed1999

Behavioral profile of quinpirole in agonistic encounters between male mice.

Most neuroleptic drugs that act as dopaminergic D2 receptor antagonists are effective antiaggressive agents. Although the action of D2 antagonists on aggression has been extensively documented, little is known about the influence of D2 agonists. This study was designed to examine the effect of quinpirole (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg i.p.), a potent agonist at D2 receptors,on agonistic behavior elicited by isolation in male mice. Individually housed mice were exposed to anosmic standard opponents 30 min after drug administration and encounters were videotaped and evaluated using an ethologically based analysis. Quinpirole exhibited an ethopharmacological profile characterized by a selective decrease in offensive behaviors (threat and attack) at low doses (0.2 mg/kg) without affecting motility or exploratory behaviors. This action could be related to the activation of presynaptic D2 receptors. In contrast, at higher doses (0.8 mg/kg), this drug produced a behavioral pattern defined by a significant increase in defense/submission and avoidance/fleeing as well as a reduction in digging and social investigation behaviors suggesting that it could also show anxiogenic-like properties.

Aggression↗
PubMed2006

Contested dominance modifies the anovulatory consequences of social subordination in female marmosets.

Dominance status among female marmosets is reflected in agonistic behavior and ovarian function. Socially dominant females receive submissive behavior from subordinates, while exhibiting normal ovulatory function. Subordinate females, however, receive agonistic behavior from dominants, while exhibiting reduced or absent ovulatory function. Such disparity in female fertility is not absolute, and groups with two breeding females have been described. The data reported here were obtained from 8 female-female pairs of captive female marmosets, each housed with a single unrelated male. Pairs were classified into two groups: "uncontested" dominance (UD) and "contested" dominance (CD), with 4 pairs each. Dominant females in UD pairs showed significantly higher frequencies (4.1) of agonism (piloerection, attack and chasing) than their subordinates (0.36), and agonistic behaviors were overall more frequently displayed by CD than by UD pairs. Subordinates in CD pairs exhibited more agonistic behavior (2.9) than subordinates in UD pairs (0.36), which displayed significantly more submissive (6.97) behaviors than their dominants (0.35). The data suggest that there is more than one kind of dominance relationship between female common marmosets. Assessment of progesterone levels showed that while subordinates in UD pairs appeared to be anovulatory, the degree of ovulatory disruption in subordinates of CD pairs was more varied and less complete. We suggest that such variation in female-female social dominance relationships and the associated variation in the degree and reliability of fertility suppression may explain variations of the reproductive condition of free-living groups of common marmosets.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal sulfur dioxide exposure induces changes in the behavior of adult male mice during agonistic encounters.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of the most important pollutants of the western countries, responsible for several cardiopulmonary diseases in humans. SO2 affects both young and adult people, causing low work productivity with social and economical costs extremely high for the communities. To test whether or not SO2 produces changes in social and/or agonistic behavior of laboratory animals, outbred CD-1 male mice were prenatally exposed to different SO2 concentrations (0, 5, 12, or 30 ppm) up to pregnancy day 14. At adulthood, following a 4-week isolation period, they underwent an aggressive encounter with CD-1 male opponents of the same age, body weight, and isolation condition (single 20-min session). The levels of several responses such as tail rattling, freezing, and defensive postures were reduced by the treatment, particularly during the initial period of the agonistic encounter, whereas offensive and attack behaviors were not significantly modified. In addition, rearing and social investigation increased. Overall, the present results indicate that prenatal SO2 exposure can alter mouse social/agonistic behavior, apparently acting on the approach phase toward the opponent and suggestive of changes in the animals' capability to cope with threatening dangerous situations.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed1999

The role of dorsal striatal GABA(A) receptors in dopamine agonist-induced behavior and neuropeptide gene expression.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether GABA(A) receptors in the dorsal striatum regulate basal or stimulant-induced behaviors. Correspondingly, the question of possible GABA(A) receptor control of neuropeptide mRNA expression in nigrostriatal neurons was addressed. The GABA(A) receptor antagonist, bicuculline, was unilaterally or bilaterally microinjected into the dorsal striatum of rats in a series of 3 studies. In the first study, unilateral administration of 10-50 ng/microliter of bicuculline did not alter behavior. However, 250 ng/microliter bicuculline produced motor dyskinesias and/or seizures. In the second study, 100 ng/microliter bicuculline administered unilaterally prior to saline or amphetamine treatment, produced mild twitching in 61% of rats but did not affect amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced behavioral activity, specifically rearing and sniffing. In the third study, 75 ng/microliter of bicuculline was administered unilaterally or bilaterally into the striatum in two separate experiments. Administration of bicuculline either unilaterally or bilaterally produced mild transient twitching of the forelimbs but did not affect behaviors induced by the selective D(1) receptor agonist SKF-82958 (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.). Three hours after unilateral bicuculline administration, the brains were removed and processed for quantitative in situ hybridization. Bicuculline did not significantly affect the basal or SKF-82958-induced increase in preprodynorphin or substance P mRNA expression in striatonigral neurons on the side of injection. These data suggest that blockade of GABA(A) receptors in the dorsal striatum does not affect dopamine agonist-stimulated behaviors or neuropeptide mRNA expression in striatonigral neurons in the rat striatum.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

AF64A lesions of mouse striatum result in ipsilateral rotations to D2 dopamine agonists but contralateral rotations to muscarinic cholinergic agonists.

Behavioral and anatomical evidence supports an interaction between the dopaminergic and cholinergic systems in regulating certain behavioral conditions and motor functions. In this study, we utilized the cholinotoxin, acetylethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A), to lesion the mouse corpus striatum in order to examine the role of cholinergic interneurons in striatum on cholinergic- and dopaminergic-mediated rotational behavior. Mice were unilaterally lesioned with AF64A and then challenged with a variety of dopaminergic and cholinergic agonists and antagonists. The results show that mice with AF64A-induced lesions rotate ipsilaterally to challenge doses of the dopamine agonists, apomorphine and pergolide, but rotate contralaterally to challenge injections of the cholinergic agonist, oxotremorine. The gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist, muscimol, and the M1 agonist, (4-hydroxy-2-butynyl)-1-trimethylammonium m-chlorocarbanilate chloride failed to elicit rotational behavior. The D1 dopamine receptor antagonist, R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl- 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrochloride, inhibited rotations induced by apomorphine at concentrations 10-fold lower than those needed to block the effects of pergolide. However, the D2 dopamine receptor antagonist, sulpiride, blocked pergolide-induced rotations at concentrations about 4-fold lower than those needed to inhibit apomorphine-induced rotational behavior. Atropine blocked oxotremorine-induced contralateral rotations but enhanced apomorphine- and pergolide-induced ipsilateral rotations induced in AF64A-lesioned mice. Atropine was 10 times more effective in blocking oxotremorine-induced rotations than was the M3 antagonist, 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl piperidine methiodide, and was 100 times more potent than the M2 and M1 antagonist, N,N'-bis[6-[[(2- methoxyphenyl)methyl]amino]hexyl]-1,8-octanediamine tetrahydrochloride, or the M1 antagonist, pirenzepine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Disruption of primate social behavior by d-amphetamine and cocaine: differential antagonism by antipsychotics.

Psychostimulants lead to withdrawal from social interactions and to a decline of affective behavior in squirrel monkeys. These changes, in addition to motor stereotypies, may be related to stimulant-induced psychosis in humans. In the first of two series of experiments, 1 mg/kg d-amphetamine or 10 mg/kg cocaine, administered orally three times over 24 h to one adult male member of an established group (n = 6-9), engendered stereotyped movements of the head and hands, reduced rest postures, and greatly reduced all forms of social initiatives. Chlorpromazine (0.25-1.0 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.25, 0.5 mg/kg), and physostigmine (0.04, 0.08 mg/kg), administered before the third amphetamine or cocaine injection, blocked the motor stereotypies and hyperactivity. Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and physostigmine did not reliably antagonize the pronounced reduction in social behavior. The second series of experiments focused on agonistic behavior in the context of resident-intruder confrontations and on affiliative behavior toward group members. d-Amphetamine (3 X 0.5 mg/kg) and, to a lesser extent, cocaine (3 X 10 mg/kg) decreased affiliative and agonistic behavior. Chlorpromazine (0.5, 1.0 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.1, 0.25 mg/kg) did not block the severe disruption of the affiliative and agonistic behavior in amphetamine-treated monkeys; physostigmine (0.06 mg/kg) reversed the decline in time spent close to the familiar monkey in amphetamine-treated monkeys. By contrast, stimulant-induced stereotypies were effectively antagonized by chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and physostigmine. These results suggest that psychostimulant-induced changes in primate social behavior may be mediated by mechanisms other than those underlying motor stereotypies.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The behavioral repertoire of the black-and-white ruffed lemur, Varecia variegata variegata (Primates: Lemuridae).

A stable social group of 7 semifree-ranging black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) was studied for 4 months to catalog the behavioral repertoire of this species. Observations focussed on particular aspects of behavior were conducted before and after this 4-month period to supplement information gathered. Behavior in 11 major categories is detailed: postures, terrestrial locomotion, arboreal locomotion, feeding behavior, vocalizations, scent-marking, affinitive social behavior, agonistic social behavior, play behavior, sexual behavior, and parental behavior. Ruffed lemurs frequently used body positions and locomotor patterns unusual among lemurids, including bipedal hanging and long-descent leaps. These behaviors reinforce dental evidence that Varecia are among the most frugivorous of the Malagasy lemurs. Low intragroup cohesion, infrequent social interaction, and antiphonal use of several long-distance vocalizations suggest that ruffed lemurs naturally exhibit fission-fusion sociality. Social structure based on interindividual familiarity probably extends across foraging parties for several of the diurnally active lemurs; however, thus far only Varecia seems likely to exhibit fission-fusion sociality analogous to that seen in spider monkeys and chimpanzees.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Beneficial effects of acute and repeated administrations of sigma receptor agonists on behavioral despair in mice exposed to tail suspension.

In an attempt to examine whether sigma receptor agonists alleviate behavioral despair, we investigated the effects of sigma receptor agonists on the tail suspension-induced immobility in mice. The acute and repeated (14 days) administrations of sigma1 receptor agonists, such as 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazine dihydrochloride (SA4503) (1 and/or 3 mg/kg) and (+)-pentazocine (5.6 mg/kg), sigma1/2 receptor agonists, such as 1,3-di(2-tolyl)guanidine (DTG) (3 and/or 5.6 mg/kg), desipramine (7.5 and/or 15 mg/kg), and fluoxetine (10 and/or 20 mg/kg), reduced immobility in mice exposed to tail suspension. N,N-Dipropyl-2-[4-methoxy-3-(2-phenylethoxy)phenyl] ethylamine monohydrochloride (NE-100), a sigma1 receptor antagonist, significantly antagonized the decrease in immobility induced by acute administrations of SA4503 (1 mg/kg) and (+)-pentazocine (5.6 mg/kg). Although not significant, NE-100 showed a tendency to inhibit the DTG (5.6 mg/kg)-induced decrease in immobility. In contrast, repeated administrations of SA4503 (1 and 3 mg/kg), (+)-pentazocine (5.6 mg/kg) or DTG (5.6 mg/kg) failed to affect the increase in body weight. These results suggest that acute and repeated stimulations of sigma, possibly a sigma1 receptor subtype, alleviate behavioral despair, unaccompanied with changes in body weight.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The escape reactions in cats during electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus leading to the occurrence of aggressive behavior].

The influence of brain electrical stimulation, which induced some elements of agonistic behavior, on the preference of an animal of one of two compartments of the experimental chamber was studied in 7 male cats with implanted hypothalamic electrodes. The animals avoided the compartment in which they were stimulated. Self-stimulation reaction could not be formed on the basis of the electrical brain stimulation inducing certain elements of agonistic behavior. Passage latencies were shorter when an animal left the less preferential compartment that in the case when in started from the more preferential one. The obtained evidence suggests that hypothalamic stimulation producing certain elements of agonistic behavior evokes in an animal a negative internal state.

Aggression↗
PubMed1986

Obligatory D-1/D-2 receptor interaction in the generation of dopamine agonist related behaviors.

Administered independently, the selective D-1 and D-2 agonists SKF 38393 and LY 171555 elicited dose dependent increases in complex motor behaviors such as locomotion or grooming. Typical stereotypic behaviors were observed only when these agents were combined and only at the higher doses of the D-1 agonist. AMPT pretreatment blocked the effects of the agonists administered independently, but all classes of behavior could be induced when they were administered in combination. Thus, expression of dopamine agonist induced behaviors requires concurrent activation of D-1 and D-2 receptors; the nature of the behavior appears to depend upon the ratio of D-1 to D-2 receptor activation.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1988

Effects of lesions of the cerebellar vermis on VMH lesion-induced hyperdefensiveness, spontaneous mouse killing, and freezing in rats.

In a series of independent experiments, we showed that lesions of the vermis of the cerebellum in rats blocked the hyperdefensiveness induced by lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), attenuated spontaneous mouse killing, and reduced unconditioned freezing and other signs of fear in the presence of a cat. The vermal lesions did not significantly affect foot-shock conditioned freezing. Control lesions of the cerebellar hemispheres did not affect VMH lesion-induced hyperdefensiveness or freezing in the presence of a cat. The hemispheric lesions did attenuate foot-shock conditioned freezing. The data are discussed in terms of the striking similarities and differences between the behavioral effects of cerebellar vermal lesions and amygdala lesions and the interaction of a number of brain areas in modulating agonistic behaviors. The results leave no doubt that the medial cerebellum is significantly involved in the control of species-specific agonistic behaviors. The specific dimension of agonistic behaviors and the details of the interactions with other brain areas remain a puzzle which we approached here by expanding the behavioral profile of animals with lesions of the cerebellar vermis.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed1996

Influence of eticlopride on cocaine- and DA D2 agonist-induced behavioral effects in rats.

The influence of the DA D2 antagonist (-) eticlopride on cocaine- and DA D2 agonist-induced behavioral effects was investigated by means of two series of experiments, in rats. In the first 10-day series, coadministration of (-) eticlopride (10 and 50 micrograms/kg, SC) always potently inhibited cocaine (15 mg/kg, IP)-induced hypermotility but did not modify the penile erection (PE)-enhancement produced by the drug at the first injection; it actually counteracted the inhibitory effect of subchronic cocaine on PE. In the second series, (-) eticlopride, at the same doses, antagonized PE elicited by various DA D2 agonists at nonstereotyping doses; when, along with PE, stereotyped behavior was induced, only the latter was inhibited by (-) eticlopride, which even increased PE.

Animals↗