Abstract
The effects of alcohol on fighting behavior in pairs of rats were studied when either the dominant or the subordinate animal was given the drug. Intense fighting episodes, consisting of all major acts and postures of attack, threat, defense, and submission, were generated between two otherwise isolated male Sprague-Dawley rats in a situation in which the accustomed food reinforcement was omitted. Alcohol (10% w/v) was administered intraperitoneally 10 min prior to the fighting test. A low dose (0.5 g/kg), when given to the dominant animal, increased the frequency of biting attack and prolonged the display of the aggressive posture. Higher doses of alcohol (1.0, 1.5 g/kg) suppressed attack behavior and, when given to the subordinate animal, impaired defensive upright postures. In a further experiment, animals without fighting or drug experience were subjected to attack by a non-treated dominant animal. When treated with alcohol (1.0, 1.5 g/kg) naive rats were more frequently attacked and injured, but reacted more readily to initial attacks by submissive-supine postures. The results demonstrate differential effects of alcohol depending on the type of drug recipient (dominant, experienced subordinate, or naive). The drug had greater effect on attack behavior than on defensive-submissive reactions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borgesova, M., Kadlecova, O., Krsiak, M.: Behaviour of untreated mice to alcohol-or chlordiazepoxide-treated partners. Activ. nerv. sup. (Praha) 13, 206–207 (1971)
Boyatzis, R. E.: The predisposition toward alcohol-related interpersonal aggression in men. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 36, 1196–1326 (1975)
Carpenter, J. A., Armenti, N. P.: Some effects of ethanol on human sexual and aggressive behavior. In: The biology of alcoholism, vol. 2, B. Kissin and H. Begleiter, eds., pp. 509–543. New York: Henum Press 1972
Chance, M. P. A., Mackintosh, J. H., Dixon, A. K.: The effects of ethyl alcohol on social encounters between mice. J. Alcohol. 8, 90–93 (1973)
Cressman, R. J., Cadell, T. E.: Drinking and the social behavior of Rhesus monkeys. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 32, 764–774 (1971)
Crowley, T. J., Stynes, A. J., Hydinger, M., Kaufman, I. C.: Ethanol, methamphetamine, pentobarbital, morphine, and monkey social behavior. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 31, 829–838 (1974)
Cutler, M. G., Mackintosh, J. H., Chance, M. R. A.: Effects of the environment on the behavioural response of mice to non-ataxic doses of ethyl alcohol. Neuropharmacology 14, 841–846 (1975)
Ellman, G. L., Herz, M. J., Peeke, H. V. S.: Ethanol in a cichlid fish: Blood levels and aggressive behavior. Proc. W. Pharmacol. Soc. 15, 92–95 (1972)
Kamback, M. C.: The effects of orbital and dorsolateral frontal cortical ablations on ethanol self-selection and emotional behaviors in monkeys (Macaca nemestrina). Neuropsychology 11, 331–335 (1973)
Kovach, J.: Maternal behavior in the domestic cock under the influence of alcohol. Science 156, 835–837 (1967)
Krsiak, M.: Effect of ethanol on aggression and timidity in mice. Psychopharmacology 51, 75–80 (1976)
Krssiak, M., Borgesova, M.: Effect of alcohol on behaviour of pairs of rats. Psychopharmacological (Berl.) 32, 201–209 (1973)
Krisk, M., Steinberg, H.: Psychopharmacological aspects of aggression: A review of the literature and some new experiments. J. psychosom. Res. 13, 243–252 (1969)
MacDonnell, M. F., Ehmer, M.: Some effects of ethanol on aggressive behavior in cats. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol 30, 312–319 (1969)
MacDonnell, M. F., Fessok, L., Brown, S. H.: Ethanol and the neural substrate for affective defense in the cat. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol. 32, 406–419 (1971)
Miczek, K. A.: A behavioral analysis of aggressive behaviors induced and modulated by Δ9, pilocarpine, d-amphetamine and l-Dopa. Activ. nerv. sup. (Praha) (in press)
Miczek, K. A.: Intraspecies aggression in rats: Effects of d-amphetamine and chlordiazepoxide. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 39, 275–301 (1974)
Miczek, K. A., Barry, H., III: 237-2 and agressive behavior in rats. Behav. Biol. 11, 261–267 (1974a)
Miczek, K. A., Barry, H., III: Effects of Δ9 on aggressive behavior in laboratory rats. In: Drug addiction, vol. 3, J. Singh and H. Lal, eds., pp. 19–38, Miami: Symposia Specialists 1974b)
Miczek, K. A., Barry, H., III: Pharmacology of sex and aggression. In: Behavioral pharmacology, S. D. Glick and J. Goldfarb, eds., pp. 176–257. St. Louis: Mosby 1976
Peeke, H. V. S., Peeke, S. C., Avis, H. H., Ellman, G.: Alcohol, habituation and the patterning of aggressive responses in a cichlid fish. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 1031–1036 (1975)
Poshivalov, V. P.: Pharmacological analysis of aggressive behaviour of mice induced by isolation. J. Higher Nerv. Act. (Zh. vysshey nervnoy deyatelnosti im. I. P. Pavlova) 24, 1079–1081 (1974)
Raynes, A. E., Ryback, R., Ingle, D.: The effect of alcohol on aggression in Betta splendens. Comm. Behav. Biol. 2, 141–146 (1968)
Silverman, A. P.: Barbiturates, lysergic acid diethylamide, and the social behavior of laboratory rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 10, 155–171 (1966)
Tamimie, H. S.: Response of chicks to alcohol treated females. Poultry Sci. 47, 1634–1635 (1968)
Taylor, S. P., Gammon, C. B.: Aggressive behavior of intoxicated subjects. Quart. J. Stud. Alcohol. 37, 917–930 (1976)
Wallgren, H., Barry, H., III: Actions of Alcohol, vol. 1. Biochemical, physiological and psychological aspects. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1970
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miczek, K.A., Barry, H. Effects of alcohol on attack and defensive-submissive reactions in rats. Psychopharmacology 52, 231–237 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426705
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426705