Agonistic behavior in groups of limbic epileptic male rats: pattern of brain damage and moderating effects from normal rats.
Different ratios of normal male rats and male rats in which limbic seizures had been induced by a single systemic injection of lithium and pilocarpine were housed in groups of six. The group ratios ranged along the continuum from all normal rats to all experimental rats. The average numbers of episodes of boxing, biting and mounting--thrusting per rat per hour per group were recorded by direct observation (red light) for 1 h during the midscotophase. Groups that contained less than two normal rats exhibited significantly elevated amounts of agonistic (boxing, biting) behavior but not mounting behavior. Multiple regression analyses showed that combinations of neuronal loss within only two to three areas accommodated at least 50% of the variance in the numbers of these behaviors.
Desjardins
D
D
Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6.
Parker
G
G
Cook
L L
LL
Persinger
M A
MA
D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D018692:Antimanic Agents; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine; D018021:Lithium Chloride