Manipulation of aggressive behavior in adult DBA/2/Bg and C57BL/10/Bg male mice implanted with testosterone in silastic tubing

• Published in: Hormones and behavior Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 377 - 390
• Main Authors: Selmanoff, Michael K, Abreu, Edith, Goldman, Bruce D, Ginsburg, Benson E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.1977
• Subjects: Aggression - drug effects; Animals; Body Weight - drug effects; Castration; Drug Implants; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Organ Size - drug effects; Prostate - drug effects; Seminal Vesicles - drug effects; Silicone Elastomers; Testosterone - blood; Testosterone - pharmacology; Testosterone Congeners - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0018-506X; 1095-6867
• DOI: 10.1016/0018-506X(77)90012-5

Adult DBA/2/Bg and C57BL/10/Bg male mice were orchidectomized and implanted subcutaneously with one of two doses of testosterone (T) in Silastic tubing. Steroid doses which resulted in significant atrophy and hypertrophy of accessory sex tissues were determined for each strain. Relative to sham-castrated vehicle-implanted controls, both hypophysiological and hyperphysiological implants caused augmentation of aggression in C57BL/10/Bg males. In DBA/2/Bg mice, the hypophysiological dose reduced and the hyperphysiological implant increased aggression scores. The results demonstrate that agonistic behavior in male mice is influenced by the titer of circulating T and emphasize the importance of genetic variance in the study of hormones and behavior.