Individual differences in the attack behavior of male mice: a function of attack stimulus and hormonal state.
Male CFW mice were tested for fighting behavior directed against olfactory bulbectomized male mice and against lactating female mice. Some males were tested with each stimulus type before and after castration. Some males were tested first following castration and then after testosterone treatment. All gonadally intact males attacked bulbectomized males and 25% attacked lactating females. After castration 81% attacked males on at least one occasion and 62% began to attack lactating females, although individual differences in the pattern of post-castration behavior were large. Individual differences in attack behavior were also large in males whose first tests followed castration. Of these, 60% attacked both stimuli. Following testosterone treatment, attack against males increased while attack against females was inhibited. Hormonal stimulation reduced individual differences in behavior and increased males' discrimination between the two types of stimuli.
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone