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Differences in aggressive behavior and in the mesocorticolimbic DA system between A/J and BALB/cJ mice
Maria H Couppis1, Craig H Kennedy, Gregg D Stanwood
1Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
Synapse (New York, N.Y.)
|July 25, 2008
Summary
Differences in dopamine and serotonin systems influence aggression. Nonaggressive mice showed higher dopamine utilization and specific receptor changes compared to aggressive mice, suggesting a link to behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Genetics
Background:
- Neurotransmitters like dopamine (DA) and serotonin modulate aggression.
- Endogenous differences in these systems between aggressive and nonaggressive animals are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the mesocorticolimbic dopamine and serotonin systems in two mouse strains with differing aggressive behaviors (BALB/cJ and A/J).
- To identify endogenous differences in these neurotransmitter systems that may underlie variations in aggression.
Main Methods:
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze neurotransmitter systems.
- Quantitative receptor autoradiography was employed to assess receptor expression.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in both serotonergic and dopaminergic systems were observed between aggressive and nonaggressive mice.
- Nonaggressive A/J mice displayed higher DA utilization in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.
- Nonaggressive mice showed higher D1 receptor expression and lower D2 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens compared to aggressive BALB/cJ mice.
Conclusions:
- Correlative data suggest that differences in mesocorticolimbic dopamine and serotonin systems contribute to endogenous variations in aggression.
- These findings highlight the role of specific neurochemical pathways in regulating aggressive behavior.
