Swiss mice of differing ages (juvenile and adult) and sexes were fed four specially formulated, pelleted diets containing respectively 8% saturated vegetable fat, 8% soya oil, 8% olive oil and 2% soya oil (with identities hidden from the experimenter) or a local commercial chow (3% crude fat) for 3 or 6 weeks. Subjects were individually housed and were assessed under red lighting for behaviour in a modified 'open field' (a 30 x 20 cm box with a black floor). Videotaped records were analysed using 'The Observer' system, quantifying transitions between inner and outer zones, rearing, freezing, grooming and defaecation as well as location in the two equal-sized zones. Clearly, these non-isocaloric diets differed in palatability, producing complex effects on growth as well as physiological and behavioural measures. Many indices were influenced by age, sex, and the duration of dietary exposure. Interactions between factors were common. Defaecation does not seem to provide a useful index of 'emotionality' in this type of study and investigations lacking a wide range of indices seem unlikely to provide unequivocal support for postulated links between dietary lipids and behaviour. The study broadly supports the contention that dietary fats subtly influence mood in mice.

SummaryJuvenile and adult male and female Swiss mice in metabolism cages were fed one of four specially-formulated, pelleted diets containing respectively 8% saturated vegetable fat, 8% soya oil, 8% olive oil and 2 % soya oil. The identities of the diets were hidden from the experimenter. Subjects were individually housed in metabolism cages and their consumption of food, growth and eliminative activities were measured. Clearly, these non-isocaloric diets differed in palatability, producing complex effects on growth as well as metabolic measures. Many indices were influenced by age, sex, and the duration of dietary exposure. Interactions between factors were common. Dietary fats appear to have subtle effects on the physiology and behaviour of rodents and may account for some differences between studies.

Aggressive behavior phenomenon has shown its negative influence across societies all over the world. Number of studies has shown the relationship between the level of serotonin in the blood and aggressive behavior. In this study several blood samples were taken from a group of prisoners with different backgrounds to determine their level of serotonin. The results were analyzed using ANOVA, independent samples T-test and the Pearson Correlation to find the relationship between aggressive behavior and their level of serotonin with some degree of variation. A significance difference was found between the level of serotonin and gender (P < 0.001), nationality (P < 0.01) and more aggressive crimes (murder), in comparison with drug dealing crimes (P < 0.04), and other crimes like bribery, forgery, stealing (P < 0.01). On the other hand, there was no significance difference in the serotonin level with both vice crimes (P > 0.05) and age (P > 0.05). The result also showed a very weak relationship between the level of serotonin and responses on the aggression questionnaire (-.074), perhaps because there was no transparency or credibility from the prisoner, while they were completing the aggression questionnaire.