Aggression in adult female mice: chronic testosterone treatment induces attack against olfactory bulbectomized male and lactating female mice.
Ovariectomized adult female CFW mice were given a series of tests for fighting behavior against olfactory bulbectomized male and lactating female mice prior to (for 2 weeks), and during (for 4 weeks) chronic treatment with testosterone propionate. While ovariectomized, 40% attacked the lactating female and 13.3% attacked the olfactory bulbectomized male. While ovariectomized and testosterone-treated, 73.3% attacked the lactating female and 60% attacked the olfactory bulbectomized male. However, during the initial 2 weeks of testosterone treatment there was an inhibition of attack against the lactating female. This was followed by a facilitation of attack against the olfactory bulbectomized male and the lactating female during the third and fourth weeks of testosterone treatment. When compared with a previous experiment showing that male mice, gonadally-intact or castrated and testosterone-treated, discriminate between these two stimuli (only the bulbectomized male is attacked), the present data do not support the notion that sexual differentiation of mouse aggression is due solely to the development of a limited sensitivity to testosterone in females.
Whalen
R E
RE
Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside 92521.
Johnson
F
F
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology*
D013739:Testosterone