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Prenatal stress reduces intermale aggression in mice
Physiology & Behavior
|January 1, 1986
Summary
Prenatal stress, such as heat and restraint, reduced aggression in male mice. This suggests prenatal stress impacts various androgen-dependent social behaviors, including aggression and mating.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Endocrinology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Prenatal stress is a known factor that can affect offspring development and behavior.
- Androgen-dependent social behaviors are crucial for reproductive success and social hierarchy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of prenatal stress on intermale aggression in mice.
- To determine if prenatal stress influences other androgen-dependent social behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Rockland-Swiss Albino mice were exposed to heat and restraint stress during gestation.
- Postnatal behavioral tests were conducted to measure intermale aggression, including fighting, attacks, and lunges.
Main Results:
- Prenatal stress significantly reduced the percentage of animals fighting.
- The number of attacks and lunges during aggressive encounters was also significantly decreased in stressed mice.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal stress negatively impacts intermale aggression in mice.
- These findings, along with previous research on copulatory deficits, indicate that prenatal stress broadly affects androgen-dependent social behaviors.
