Postaggression footshock inhibits aggressive behavior in dominant but not in isolated mice

Aggressive behavior of dominant and isolated mice was assessed in intermale encounters with nonaggressive intruder mice. After an attack period of 90 s, the aggressor was exposed to a footshock punishment and retested the next day. The shock treatment, independent of the intensity and duration, failed to inhibit spontaneous aggression in isolated DBA/2 mice, while it significantly suppressed spontaneous aggression in dominant C57BL/6 mice. The different effects of post-trial shock punishment were not due to a different shock sensitivity and did not depend on the type of opponent used. Strain differences have been ruled out by the use of dominant and isolated ICR mice. Again, shock punishment was ineffective in isolates, while it reduced aggression in dominant animals. The findings were discussed with reference to the impaired learning performance reported for isolated animals, and suggest a difference between the aggression of isolated and that of dominant mice.