Behavioral, hormonal and neurochemical characteristics of aggressive α-mice

摘要: The present study examined the behavioral, neurochemical and endocrinological characteristics of aggressive, male alpha-mice. These mice inflict severe bite marks on other in their cage, but are not attacked themselves. alpha-mice were compared with those submissive mice, control taken from cages which no fighting was observed. behavioral tests used Porsolt's swim test 'despair', a plusmaze anxiety, holeboard exploration locomotor activity, seizure threshold to bicuculline. found be immobile for shorter time than longer controls. In holeboard, spent less making exploratory head-dips mice. Submissive had elevated 5-HIAA levels hypothalamus, hippocampus brainstem, alpha reduced concentrations dopamine brainstem. There significant differences plasma corticosterone or testosterone between groups. findings indicate that alpha-mice, number appear together unusually high aggressiveness towards cage-mates.