title: Behavioral consequences of agonistic experience in rats: sex differences and the effects of testosterone.
abstract: The effects of winning or losing on subsequent aggressive behavior in male and female rats were studied. By using three strains of rats with different levels of aggression, a procedure was developed to create winners and losers. Subsequently, winners were tested against losers. Behavioral analysis of all tests enabled a thorough study of these processes and of their consequences. The results indicate that significant and relatively permanent behavioral changes are induced in intact and castrated, testosterone-treated males but not in females. The results suggest that behavioral inhibition is a specific characteristic of the male's agonistic behavioral repertoire.
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone