TY - JOUR
T1 - Activation of serotonergic neurotransmission during the performance of aggressive behavior in rats
AU - van der Vegt, Bea J.
AU - Lieuwes, Natasja
AU - van de Wall, Esther H.E.M.
AU - Kato, Katsunori
AU - Moya-Albiol, Luis
AU - Martínez-Sanchis, Sonia
AU - de Boer, Sietse F.
AU - Koolhaas, Jaap M.
PY - 2003/8
Y1 - 2003/8
N2 - High aggression is often linked to lowered serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission. Although this may hold for high aggression as a trait characteristic of an individual, serotonergic activity is probably increased during performance of aggressive behavior. To test this hypothesis, first, the 5-HT1A agonist alnespirone and gamma aminobutyric acid-A agonist muscimol were administered into the dorsal raphe nucleus. These treatments, which inhibit 5-HT neuronal activity, were shown to decrease performance of aggressive behavior. Second, after a resident-intruder test, the activation of 5-HT neurons (measured by c-fos expression) was increased in high-aggressive rats, compared with low-aggressive rats or control rats that were not subjected to a social confrontation. Results show that performance of aggressive behavior increases 5-HT neuronal activity and that preventing this activation inhibits expression of aggressive behavior.
AB - High aggression is often linked to lowered serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission. Although this may hold for high aggression as a trait characteristic of an individual, serotonergic activity is probably increased during performance of aggressive behavior. To test this hypothesis, first, the 5-HT1A agonist alnespirone and gamma aminobutyric acid-A agonist muscimol were administered into the dorsal raphe nucleus. These treatments, which inhibit 5-HT neuronal activity, were shown to decrease performance of aggressive behavior. Second, after a resident-intruder test, the activation of 5-HT neurons (measured by c-fos expression) was increased in high-aggressive rats, compared with low-aggressive rats or control rats that were not subjected to a social confrontation. Results show that performance of aggressive behavior increases 5-HT neuronal activity and that preventing this activation inhibits expression of aggressive behavior.
KW - Aggression
KW - Animals
KW - GABA Agonists
KW - Male
KW - Muscimol
KW - Neurons
KW - Rats
KW - Serotonin
KW - Serotonin Receptor Agonists
KW - Spiro Compounds
KW - Synaptic Transmission
U2 - 10.1037/0735-7044.117.4.667
DO - 10.1037/0735-7044.117.4.667
M3 - Article
C2 - 12931952
VL - 117
SP - 667
EP - 674
JO - Behavioral Neuroscience
JF - Behavioral Neuroscience
SN - 0735-7044
IS - 4
ER -