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Deviant Forms of Aggression in Glucocorticoid Hyporeactive Rats: A Model for ‘Pathological’ Aggression?
Author(s) -
Haller J.,
Van De Schraaf J.,
Kruk M. R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2001.00600.x
Subject(s) - glucocorticoid , corticosterone , aggression , medicine , endocrinology , adrenalectomy , biting , pathological , psychology , hormone , developmental psychology , biology , ecology
Deviant forms of aggressiveness have been associated with low plasma glucocorticoid concentrations in humans. Here, we report data on the development of aggressive behaviour in rats in which glucocorticoid secretion was inhibited by adrenalectomy. Such rats were compared with both sham operated rats and adrenalectomized rats in which the fight‐induced elevation of plasma glucocorticoids was mimicked by acute injections. Low and stable corticosterone plasma concentrations were maintained by subcutaneous glucocorticoid pellets in adrenalectomized rats. The development of aggressive behaviour was followed over three trials performed at 2‐day intervals. Adrenalectomy lead to high aggressiveness already at the first encounter, a decreased threatening (attack signalling) behaviour and a change in attack targeting. While control rats targeted biting attacks towards less vulnerable dorsal parts of the opponent's body, adrenalectomized rats attacked the head frequently. Corticosterone injections that mimicked the fight induced adrenocortical reaction abolished this behavioural pattern. Thus, a reduced responsiveness of the adrenocortical system may be causally linked to deviant forms of aggression in rats.