title: Hippocampal cholineacetyltransferase activity, agonistic behaviour and social stress in male rabbits.
abstract: Agonistic behaviour was observed in pairs of unfamiliar male rabbits living in an outdoor enclosure. Attack, Chase, Follow and Cross-over were scored. On the basis of their frequencies the subjects in the pair were assigned a first or second rank-position. Hippocampal cholineacetyltransferase (ChAT) and plasma levels of corticosterone were considered in relation to rank. ChAT levels in the dorsal hippocampus varied in relation to agonistic behaviour. Second-ranking subjects had significantly higher levels of ChAT than the first-ranking animals and had levels of corticosterone which were markedly higher at the end of the experimental period than at the beginning. A negative correlation was found between Attack and ChAT levels in the dorsal hippocampus. These results suggest the presence of social stress in the second-ranking animals and indicate a state of activation of the hippocampus in relation to agonistic behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisiologia Umana, Università di Siena, Via del Laterino 8, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Girolami
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lodi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lupo