Differential lateral septal vasopressin innervation in aggressive and nonaggressive male mice

The vasopressinergic (VP) projection from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) to the lateral septum (LS) is sexually dimorphic and dependent of androgens at adult and neonatal age. We studied the relation between testosterone (T) and VP in male mice, which were genetically selected for their differences in aggression level. Aggressive males, characterized by a short attack latency (SAL), have a higher production capacity of T at adult age compared to males with a long attack latency (LAL). Neonatally, however, a higher T production occurs in the nonaggressive LAL males than in SAL males. In the present study we showed a more dense VP-immunoreactive (VP-ir) innervation in the LS and a higher VP-ir neuron density in the BNST of LAL males as compared to SAL males. The described differences may be the consequence of a differential neonatal androgen effect on the organization of the forebrain vasopressinergic network.