Variation in aggressive behavior and anatomo-physiological correlates generated by crowding without physical contact in the house mouse

Abstract

Behavioral, physiological (i.e., endocrine), and anatomical consequences of crowding in mice were studied in a situation where animals were in auditory, visual, olfactory, and tactile contact but restrained from full physical interactions, to prevent overt aggression. Males that cohabited with females undisturbed by neighboring conspecifics showed greater propensity to attack same‐sex intruders and had higher plasma testosterone levels than did their “crowded” counterparts, that is, males cohabiting with females and housed adjacent to other male/female pairs. In this respect, the latter animals resembled submissive males. However, a significant increase in weight of androgen‐dependent target organs (i.e., seminal vesicles and preputial glands) was found in crowded males. These data indicate that despite the observed inhibition of social aggression these males are not physiologically comparable (homologous) to male mice that experienced defeat and the stress of submission during fighting. The intriguing possibility that different conversion pathway of testosterone are accelerated, as a result of social communication, in males living in these two environments and the behavioral implications of these possibilities are discussed. Finally, the parental behavior of crowded animals, although not freely interacting with each other, was disrupted, causing a marked decrease in reproductive success. In this situation a high incidence of infanticide of their offspring by both parents was observed, whereas this behavior was virtually absent in non‐crowded male/female pairs.

Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice

“…The hierarchy between two male mice that are not allowed bodily contact does not cease to exist if close olfactory and visual contact is possible (Parmigiani et al 1989, Hurst et al 1993. Kudryavtseva (1991) has developed and successfully implemented a sensory contact model in which two male mice were separated by a perforated partition, to investigate aggressive and submissive behaviour without interference of isolation effects (Kudryavtseva 1994, 2000.…”

Do Male Mice Prefer or Avoid Each Other's Company? Influence of Hierarchy, Kinship, and Familiarity

“…The hierarchy between two male mice unable to be in bodily contact, however, does not cease to exist when close olfactory and visual contact is possible (Hurst, Fang, & Barnard, 1993;Parmigiani, Mainardi, Brain, Haug, & Brunoni, 1989). The mice may have been aware of this, which may have influenced the choice of the test mice.…”

Modulation of aggression in male mice: influence of group size and cage size

“…Indeed, testosterone levels in rats have been shown to be suppressed by defeat and subordination [36,37]. Parmigiani et al [38] showed that suppression of testosterone also occurs in subordinate mice that are not subjected to attacks. Spleens of least attacked subordinates were slightly heavier than those of dominant animals, although not significant, and spleen weight of attacked subordinates was positively correlated with aggression.…”