Involvement of GABAergic neurotransmission in the neurobiology of the apomorphine-induced aggressive behavior paradigm, a model of psychotic behavior in rats

Acute effects of baclofen, a γ-aminobutyric acid-B agonist, on laboratory measures of aggressive and escape responses of adult male parolees with and without a history of conduct disorder

“…Nine of the ten CD+ subjects decreased their aggressive responding following the highest 0.28-mg/kg baclofen dose. This finding is consistent with numerous rodent studies that have reported suppression of aggressive behavior generated by drugs or electric shock following baclofen administration (Rodgers and Depaulis 1982;File et al 1991;Rudissaar et al 2000).…”

“…In addition, baclofen inhibited rats' interspecific aggressive behaviors (Delini-Stula and Vassout 1978a) and muricidal behaviors induced by olfactory bulb ablation (DeliniStula and Vassout 1978b). Apomorphine-induced aggression was reduced upon administration of baclofen (Rudissaar et al 2000). Increased aggression in rats during alcohol withdrawal was also suppressed by baclofen (File et al 1991).…”

Benzodiazepines and heightened aggressive behavior in rats: reduction by GABAA/?1 receptor antagonists

“…THIP, a broad-spectrum GABA A agonist, given systemically, affected aggressive behavior across a wide range of doses in a modest, mostly insignificant manner as previously reported (Rudissaar et al 2000 report decreases at higher doses). One study suggests that THIP may increase aggression in nonaggressive rats only (DePaulis and Vergnes 1983).…”

Neurogenetics of Aggressive Behavior: Studies in Rodents

“…A clinical study found that oral administration of the GABA B receptor agonist baclofen inhibited provoked aggressive responses in subjects that had a history of childhood conduct disorder, whereas the same treatment escalated aggressive responses in control subjects in a laboratory setting (Cherek et al, 2002). In rats, baclofen also reduces escalated forms of aggressive-defensive behavior induced by electric shock, ethanol withdrawal, and apomorphine treatment (Rodgers and Depaulis, 1982; File et al, 1991; Rudissaar et al, 2000). In contrast, we found recently that systemic administration of baclofen showed an inverse U-shaped dose-effect on territorial aggressive behavior in male mice: low-to-moderate doses of baclofen increased aggressive behavior of male mice, whereas high doses of baclofen reduced aggressive behavior and were accompanied by motor incoordination (Takahashi et al, 2012).…”