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Aggressive behavior induced in female mice by an early single injection of testosterone is genotype dependent

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Abstract

Early exposure of female mice to testosterone induces aggressive behaviors in adulthood as a function of strain. Inbred BALB/cBy females that receive a single injection of testosterone propionate (TP) (1 mg in 0.02 ml peanut oil) on Day 4 of life manifest attacking behavior toward a male attempting to mate, whereas C57BL/6By do not. Ovariectomy at weaning does not modify the effect of neonatal androgenization. Neither comparison of reciprocal F1's nor observations of inbred females from hybrid maternal environments suggest that the strain-dependent effects of TP are dependent on different maternal environment effects. Thus the difference in reactivity to a single early injection of TP between female BALB/cBy and female C57BL/6By has a purely genetic correlate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe Génétique et Comportements, UER Biomédicale, Université Paris V, Paris, France

    Christine Michard-Vanhée

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  1. Christine Michard-Vanhée
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This research was supported by CNRS US 656, ATP Developpement sensoriel et moteur to M. Carlier, and MEN ATP Biologie 85 to P. Roubertoux, Université Paris V.

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Michard-Vanhée, C. Aggressive behavior induced in female mice by an early single injection of testosterone is genotype dependent. Behav Genet 18, 1–12 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01067071

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01067071

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