Pituitary-adrenal effects on avoidance-of-attack in mice: Separation of the effects of ACTH and corticosterone☆

Moyer, John A.; Leshner, Alan I.

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(76)90079-2

Cited by 59 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…This might be surprising according to earlier studies in diverse species reporting a link between increased glucocorticoid levels and increased aggressiveness (Brain and Evans, 1977;Heller, 1978;Hayden-Hixson and Ferris, 1991a,b;Haller et al, 1997). However, a close examination of the literature reveals the existence of several studies in which increasing corticosterone levels was found to increase submissive behaviors Leshner et al, , 1980Moyer and Leshner, 1976;Leshner and Politch, 1979). The explanation for this apparent discrepancy seems to be explained by the fact that the effects of corticosterone treatment are context-dependent: the experimental conditions used in the studies in which corticosterone increased aggressiveness elicited, by themselves, aggressive responses (i.e., confrontation with rather passive opponents); conversely, those conditions in which corticosterone increased submissiveness elicited, by themselves, aggressive responses (i.e., confrontation with rather aggressive opponents).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Support for this hypothesis comes from earlier work showing that both aggressive and defensive behaviors in rodents can be modulated by elevated corticosterone (Leshner et al, 1973Moyer and Leshner, 1976;Leshner and Politch, 1979;Haller et al, 1997Haller et al, , 2000aWood et al, 2003;Mikics et al, 2004). On its turn, inhibiting glucocorticoid function can, as well, have opposite modulatory actions in aggressive behaviors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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A role for glucocorticoids in the long-term establishment of a social hierarchy

Timmer¹,

Sandi²

2010

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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Stress can affect the establishment and maintenance of social hierarchies. In the present study, we investigated the role of increasing corticosterone levels before or just after a first social encounter between two rats of a dyad in the establishment and the long-term maintenance of a social hierarchy. We show that pre-social encounter corticosterone treatment does not affect the outcome of the hierarchy during a first encounter, but induces a long-term memory for the hierarchy when the corticosterone-injected rat becomes dominant during the encounter, but not when it becomes subordinate. Post-social encounter corticosterone leads to a long-term maintenance of the hierarchy only when the subordinate rat of the dyad is injected with corticosterone. This corticosterone effect mimics previously reported actions of stress on the same model and, hence, implicates glucocorticoids in the consolidation of the memory for a recently established hierarchy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

A role for glucocorticoids in the long-term establishment of a social hierarchy

Timmer¹,

Sandi²

2010

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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“…ACTH, the anterior pituitary tropic hormone that regulates glucocorticoid release from the adrenal glands, is elevated in adrenalectomized animals, due to a lack of negative feedback, and levels of the hormone decrease when animals are treated with exogenous glucocorticoids. It has been suggested that these changes in ACTH and not downstream changes in cortisol or corticosterone are responsible for changes in aggression (Leshner et al, ; Moyer and Leshner, ; Brain and Evans, ). For example, exogenous ACTH administration decreased the aggressiveness of mice in which glucocorticoid levels had been experimentally controlled, suggesting that ACTH, rather than glucocorticoid levels are critical in the control of aggressiveness (Leshner et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short‐day aggression is independent of changes in cortisol or glucocorticoid receptors in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

et al. 2015

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Testosterone mediates aggression in many vertebrates. In some species, aggression remains high during the non-breeding season (e.g., winter), when testosterone levels are low. In Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus), we have demonstrated photoperiodic changes in aggression with hamsters housed in short, "winter-like" days displaying significantly more territorial aggression than long-day animals, despite low levels of testosterone. The mechanisms by which photoperiod regulates aggression, however, remain largely unknown. Adrenocortical hormones (e.g., glucocorticoids) have been implicated in mediating seasonal aggression; circulating concentrations of these hormones have been correlated with aggression in some species. The goal of this study was to examine the role of cortisol and glucocorticoid receptors in mediating photoperiodic changes in aggression in male Siberian hamsters. Males were housed in long or short days and treated with either exogenous cortisol or vehicle. Circulating levels of cortisol, adrenal cortisol content, and aggression were quantified. Lastly, photoperiodic effects on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein levels were quantified in limbic brain regions associated with aggression, including medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Short-day hamsters were more aggressive than long-day hamsters, however cortisol treatment did not affect aggression. Photoperiod had no effect on serum or adrenal cortisol or GR levels in the brain regions examined. Taken together, these data suggest that increases in cortisol levels do not cause increases associated with short-day aggression, and further that GR protein levels are not associated with photoperiodic changes in aggression. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of the role of adrenocortical steroids in mediating seasonal aggression.

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“…The effect of the prolactin upon defense is probably due to the suppression of the hypothetical "consociate modulator" and release of defense from its inhibitory influence. Corticosteroids, which enhance submission (Moyer & Leshner 1976) probably exert their effects by facilitation of the hypothesized consociate modulator.…”

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confidence: 99%

Brain mechanisms for offense, defense, and submission

Adams

1979

Behav Brain Sci

395

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A preliminary attempt is made to analyze the intraspecific aggressive behavior of mammals in terms of specific neural circuitry. The results of stimulation, lesion, and recording studies of aggressive behavior in cats and rats are reviewed and analyzed in terms of three hypothetical motivational systems: offense, defense, and submission. A critical distinction, derived from ethological theory, is made between motivating stimuli that simultaneously activate functional groupings of motor patterning mechanisms, and releasing and directing stimuli that are necessary for the activation of discrete motor patterning mechanisms. It is suggested that motivating stimuli activate pathways that converge upon sets of homogeneous neurons, called motivational mechanisms, whose activity determines the motivational state of the animal.A defense motivational mechanism is hypothesized to be located in the midbrain central gray. In addition to tactile, auditory, and visual inputs from the paleospinothalamic tract, lateral lemniscus, and (perhaps) from the pretectum, it may receive inputs from a major forebrain pathway whose functional significance is not yet understood.A submission motivational mechanism is also thought to be located in the central gray. In addition to inputs for defense, it is thought to receive a necessary input from a “consociate (social familiarity cue) modulator” located in the ventromedial hypothalamus, which can switch behavior from defense to submission. The location of the hypothetical offense motivational mechanism is not known, although the pathways by which it is activated are traced in some detail.Brain mechanisms of aggression in primitive mammals and in primates are apparently similar to those in rats and cats.

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Pituitary-adrenal effects on avoidance-of-attack in mice: Separation of the effects of ACTH and corticosterone☆

Cited by 59 publications

References 16 publications

A role for glucocorticoids in the long-term establishment of a social hierarchy

A role for glucocorticoids in the long-term establishment of a social hierarchy

Short‐day aggression is independent of changes in cortisol or glucocorticoid receptors in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Brain mechanisms for offense, defense, and submission

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