Abstract
A procedure has been developed which reliably engenders agonistic behavior between alpha males of small colonies of laboratory rats and intruder rats. Drugs were administered either to the alpha resident male rat, who showed the pattern of attack and threat behavior, or to the intruder rat, who engaged in defensive, submissive, and flight reactions. The 5-min test also permitted assessment of drug effects on nonagonistic social and solitary behavior. Administration of d-amphetamine at a very low dose (0.063 mg/kg) to resident alpha rats increased the frequency of their attacks, sideways threats, and pursuits, while low doses of cocaine (0.5, 2.0 mg/kg) failed to alter any of these behaviors significantly. Attack and threat behavior was effectively decreased by 0.25–1.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine and by 8 and 32 mg/kg cocaine. The antiaggressive effects of amphetamine, but not cocaine, were accompanied by a marked increase in nonagonistic rearing and walking. Amphetamine administration to intruder rats produced an increase in nonagonistic locomotor activity and caused the intruders to be attacked more frequently, to escape more often, and to emit fewer ultrasonic vocalizations. Cocaine did not alter significantly the intruders' behavior. The resident-intruder situation appears to be a reliable, easy-to-use procedure detecting differential behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulants, such as d-amphetamine and cocaine, while avoiding the confounding influence of aversive stimulation, conditioning, and screening of suitable subjects typically associated with aggression tests in the laboratory.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Archer, J.: Effects of aggressive behavior on the adrenal cortex in male laboratory mice. J. Mammal. 51, 327–333 (1970)
Barnett, S. A.: The rat. A study in behavior. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1975
Barnett, S. A., Evans, C. S., Stoddart, R. C.: Influence of females on conflict among wild rats. J. Zool. 154, 391–396 (1968)
Barry, H., III, Buckley, J. P.: Drug effects on animal performance and the stress syndrome. J. Pharm. Sci. 55, 1159–1183 (1966)
Blanchard, R. J., Blanchard, C.: Aggressive behavior in the rat. Behav. Biol. 21, 197–224 (1977)
Bronson, F. H., Eleftheriou, B. E.: Chronic physiological effects of fighting in mice. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 4, 9–14 (1964)
Brunaud, M., Siou, G.: Action de substances psychotropes chez le rat, sur un état d'agressivité provoquée. In: Neuropsychopharmacology, P. B. Bradley, P. Deniker, C. Radouco-Thomas, eds., pp. 282–286. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1959
Charpentier, J.: Analysis and measurement of aggressive behaviour in mice. In: Aggressive behavior, S. Garattini, E. B. Sigg, eds., pp. 86–100. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica 1969
Crowley, T. J.: Dose-dependent facilitation or suppression of rat fighting by methamphetamine, phenobarbital, or imipramine. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 27, 213–222 (1972)
Emley, G. S., Hutchinson, R. R.: Basis of behavioral influence of chlorpromazine. Life Sci. 11, 43–47 (1972)
Goodman, L. S., Gilman, A., eds.: The pharmacological basis of therapeutic. New York: MacMillan 1970
Grant, E. C., Mackintosh, J. H.: A comparison of the social postures of some common laboratory rodents. Behaviour 21, 246–259 (1963)
Hodge, G. K., Butcher, L. L.: Catecholamine correlates of isolation-induced aggression in mice. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 31, 81–93 (1975)
Hoffmeister, F., Wuttke, W.: On the actions of psychotropic drugs on the attack- and aggressive-defensive behaviour of mice and cats. In: Aggressive behaviour, S. Garattini, E. B. Sigg, eds., pp. 273–280, Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica 1969
Hutchinson, R. R., Emley, G. S., Krasnegor, N. A.: The effects of cocaine on the aggressive behavior of mice, pigeons and squirrel monkeys. In: Cocaine and other stimulants, E. H. Ellinwood, Jr., M. M. Kilbey, eds., pp. 457–480. New York: Plenum 1977
Krsiak, M.: Behavioral changes and aggressivity evoked by drugs in mice. Res. Comm. Chem. Pathol. Pharmacol. 7, 237–257 (1974)
Lyon, M., Robbins, T.: The action of central nervous system stimulant drugs: A general theory concerning amphetamine effects. In: Current developments in psychopharmacology, Vol. II, W. B. Essman, L. Valzelli, eds., pp. 81–163. New York: Spectrum 1975
Miczek, K. A.: Intraspecies aggression in rats: Effects of d-amphetamine and chlordiazepoxide. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 39, 275–301 (1974)
Miczek, K. A.: Effects of L-dopa, d-amphetamine and cocaine on intruder evoked aggression in rats and mice. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. 1, 271–277 (1977a)
Miczek, K. A.: A behavioral analysis of aggressive behaviors induced and modulated by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, pilocarpine, d-amphetamine and L-Dopa. Act. Nerv. Super. 19, 224–225 (1977b)
Miczek, K. A.: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol: Antiaggressive effects in mice, rats and squirrel monkeys. Science 199, 1459–1461 (1978)
Miczek, K. A., Barry, H., III.: Pharmacology of sex and aggression. In: Behavioral pharmacology, S. D. Glick, J. Goldfarb, eds., pp. 176–257. St. Louis: Mosby 1976
Miczek, K. A., Krsiak, M.: Drug effects on agonistic behavior. In: Advances in behavioral pharmacology, Vol. II, T. Thompson, P. Dews, eds. New York: Academic Press (in press)
Miczek, K. A., O'Donnell, J.: Intruder-evoked aggression in isolated and nonisolated mice: Effects of psychomotor stimulants and L-dopa. Psychopharmacology 57, 47–55 (1978)
Moore, M. C., Thompson, D. M.: Acute and chronic effects of cocaine on extinction-induced aggression. J. Exp. Anal. Behav. 29, 309–318 (1978)
Sales, G. D.: Ultrasound and aggressive behaviour in rats and other small mammals. Anim. Behav. 20, 88–100 (1972)
Schiorring, E., Randrup, A.: Social isolation and changes in the formation of groups induced by amphetamine in an open field test with rats. In: Advances in neuro-psychopharmacology, O. Vinar, Z. Votava, P. B. Bradley, eds., pp. 285–298 London: Avicenum 1971
Sheard, M. H.: Aggressive behaviour: Modification by amphetamine, p-chlorophenylalanine and lithium in rats. Agressologie 14, 323–326 (1973)
Siegel, S.: Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill 1956
Valzelli, L.: The “isolation syndrome” in mice. Psychopharmacologia 31, 305–320 (1973)
Weischer, M. L.: Einfluß von Anorektica der Amphetamin-Reihe auf das Verhalten des Siamesischen Kampffisches Betta splendens. Arzneim.-Forsch. 16, 1310–1311 (1966)
Welch, B. L., Welch, A. S.: Aggression and the biogenic amine neurohumors. In: Aggressive behaviour, S. Garattini, E. B. Sigg, eds., pp. 188–202. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica 1969
Welch, A. S., Welch, B. L.: Isolation, reactivity and aggression: Evidence for an involvement of brain catecholamines and serotonin. In: The physiology of aggression and defeat, B. E. Eleftheriou, J. P. Scott, eds., pp. 91–142. New York: Plenum 1971
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miczek, K.A. A new test for aggression in rats without aversive stimulation: Differential effects of d-amphetamine and cocaine. Psychopharmacology 60, 253–259 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426664
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426664