The influences of androgen on sociosexual behavior: A comparison between the spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and the Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY)

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 54; no. 6; pp. 1041 - 1046
• Main Authors: Wall, Anders, Magnusson, Åsa M., Meyerson, Bengt J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Elsevier Inc 01.12.1993; New York, NY Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - genetics; Blood Pressure - physiology; Copulation - physiology; Estrus - physiology; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormonal responsiveness; Hormones and behavior; Libido - physiology; Locomotor activity; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Male; Motor Activity - physiology; Orchiectomy; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology; Social Environment; Sociosexual motivation; Species Specificity; Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR); Testosterone; Testosterone - physiology; Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY); Testosterone; Hormonal responsiveness; Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR); Sexual behavior; Sociosexual motivation; Locomotor activity; Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY); Hypertension; Animal model; Androgen; Rat; Rodentia; Cardiovascular disease; Male; Breeding behavior; Strain; Mating; Locomotion; Vertebrata; Reproduction; Mammalia; Social behavior; Castration; Social interaction; Blood pressure; Intraspecific comparison; Testicular hormone; Hemodynamics; Sex steroid hormone
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/0031-9384(93)90322-7

Differences in androgen-dependent forms of behavior and plasma testosterone levels in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and its normotensive counterpart the Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) are described here. Copulatory behavior (solitary test to avoid influence of experience) and certain androgen-dependent elements of sociosexual orientation were significantly attenuated in the SHR compared to the WKY male rat. After castration, the differences in sociosexual orientation were no longer apparent. In contrast, differences in other behavioral elements, such as locomotion, were unchanged after castration. Plasma testosterone levels were significantly higher in the SHR than in the WKY male rats. Taken together, the behavioral and hormonal data suggest a decreased central nervous responsiveness to androgens in the SHR rats. This could lead to reduced androgen-dependent behavior, and possibly also to a decreased testosterone feedback control.