Rat fighting behavior: serum dopamine- -hydroxylase and hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 4 weeks of daily periods of immobilization stress. One of two experimental groups was allowed 1 month of recovery. After 4 weeks of stress, there was a significant increase in shockinduced fighting, in the activity of serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, and in the activity of hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase. The concentration of hypothalamic norepinephrine was not decreased. After 4 weeks of recovery, only serum dopamine-betahydroxylase activity returned to normal; it therefore appears that longterm stress may increase central catecholamine synthesis. possibly resulting in a persistent increase in aggressive behavior.
D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000032:analysis; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000097:blood; D004597:Electroshock; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis / Q000201:enzymology*; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013997:Time Factors; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D014443:Tyrosine; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D009638:Norepinephrine