Mice selected for differences in sensitivity to a benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonist vary in intermale aggression.
Brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels are involved in intermale aggression in mice. It was therefore expected that animals genetically selected for their sensitivity to the convulsive effects of methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM; BS, beta-CCM sensitive, and BR, beta-CCM resistant), a benzodiazepine (BZ) inverse agonist that specifically binds to the BZ site on the GABA-A receptor complex, would differ in their levels of aggressive behavior. Using two different aggression tests, in two independent experiments, we showed that BS mice are more aggressive than BR animals. The precise mechanisms underlying the observed line differences in beta-CCM sensitivity and aggression remain to be determined.
Guillot
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PV
Génétique, Neurogénétique et Comportement (CNRS UPR 9074), 3b rue de Férollerie, F-45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France.
Sluyter
F
F
Crusio
W E
WE
Chapouthier
G
G
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D012934:Social Isolation; D013045:Species Specificity
D002243:Carbolines; D003292:Convulsants; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; C036150:beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester