Some Effects of Ethanol on Aggressive Behavior in Cats

Effects of a novel anti-aggressive agent upon two types of brain stimulated emotional behavior

“…It might be noted that in both studies the approach and terminal aspect of attack were affected by the drug manipulation. Similar results have been reported by Katz and Thomas (1975) subsequent to parenternal administration of anticholinergic agents, although such findings are not common to all drugs affecting aggression (e.g., AMPT; Katz and Thomas, 1975;also ethanol;MacDonnell and Ehmer, 1969). It might be argued from the common disruption of approach and terminal aspects of attack that Sch 12679 was effective because of a nonspecific depression of all activity.…”

“…Such measures, in addition, are often not available or available only with great difficulty in other attack models. The advantages of brain stimulation in these regards have been witnessed in a number of recent studies of drug effects upon attack patterns and individual aspects of attack sequences [e.g., the recent studies of MacDonnell and his colleagues upon ethanol and related corn-pounds; MacDonnell and Ehmer, 1969;MacDonnell and Fessock, 1969;MacDonnell et al, 1971;Mac-Donnell, 1971, as well as the work of Katz and Thomas (1975) upon the aminergic control of predation]. Such factors render brain stimulated emotional behavior a useful baseline for further evaluating the anti-aggressive properties of Sch 12679.…”

Effects of alcohol and behavior contingencies on human aggression.

“…In one, alcohol is assumed to have an "energizing" effect that may lead to aggressive behavior. Some infrahuman research, though inconclusive, has demonstrated increased attack behavior in alcohol-intoxicated cats that simultaneously received electrical stimulation of the central nervous system (MacDonnell & Ehmer, 1969;MacDonnell & Flynn, 1966). Perhaps relatedly, human subjects who ingested alcohol report an increase in aggressive fantasies (Kalin, McClelland, & Kahn, 1965) and feelings of power and dominance (McClelland, Davis, Kalin, & Wanner, 1972;Russell & Copyright 1979 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0021-843X/79/8802-0153$00.75 Mehrabian, 1975).…”