Play fighting in androgen-insensitivetfm rats: Evidence that androgen receptors are necessary for the development of adult playful attack and defense

Field, Evelyn F.; Whishaw, Ian Q.; Watson, Neil V.

doi:10.1002/dev.20121

Cited by 30 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…The development of allogrooming and play fighting are modulated by androgens, appear at very early ontogenetic stages, and are more frequent in males than in females [21]. In other species, females treated with testosterone show similar play frequencies as males, and these females play more than non-masculinized females [7].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions

2011

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The presence of male siblings in utero influences female morphology and life-history traits because testosterone transferred among foetuses may masculinize females. Similarly, litter sex composition might alter the display of sexually dimorphic behaviour, such as play and allogrooming, since they are modulated by androgens. We explored whether masculinization alters the frequency of play and sociopositive behaviour in female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). We found that masculinized juvenile females were more likely to initiate play and allogrooming, but yearling females exhibited higher levels of oestrogen-modulated sociopositive behaviours. Additionally, the more they interacted, the greater number of different partners they interacted with. Our results suggest that masculinization increases the rate of age-dependent social behaviour. This probably works by increasing exploration that predisposes individuals to higher encounter rates. Further support comes from previous findings showing that masculinized females were more likely to disperse. Our study stresses the importance of considering litter sex composition as a fitness modulator.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions

2011

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Section: Play Fighting and Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Analysis of Tfm male rats suggests that ARs are involved in the development of play fighting behavior since, as juveniles, Tfm males show decreased play fighting behavior compared to wt males (Meaney et al, 1983;Meaney, 1988), although recent data suggest that this difference may depend on the testing paradigm (Field et al, 2006). Tfm males also fail to show the male-typical decline in playful attack with age, but like wt males they do show a decline in some aspects of playful defense, indicating that ARs are involved in some but not all aspects of play fighting (Field et al, 2006).Unlike juvenile play fighting behavior, aggression in adulthood may rely more heavily on the activation of ERs. In male mice, castration decreases aggressive behavior while administration of T, E2, DHT, or a combination of E2 and DHT have been shown to increase male aggressive behavior (Gandelman, 1980;Matochik et al, 1994;Burge and Edwards, 1971;Finney and Erpino, 1976;Luttge and Hall, 1973).…”

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confidence: 99%

The role of androgen receptors in the masculinization of brain and behavior: What we've learned from the testicular feminization mutation

Zuloaga

Puts

Jordan

et al. 2008

Hormones and Behavior

213

156

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Many studies demonstrate that exposure to testicular steroids such as testosterone early in life masculinizes the developing brain, leading to permanent changes in behavior. Traditionally, masculinization of the rodent brain is believed to depend on estrogen receptors (ERs) and not androgen receptors (ARs). According to the aromatization hypothesis, circulating testosterone from the testes is converted locally in the brain by aromatase to estrogens, which then activate ERs to masculinize the brain. However, an emerging body of evidence indicates that the aromatization hypothesis cannot fully account for sex differences in brain morphology and behavior, and that androgens acting on ARs also play a role. The testicular feminization mutation (Tfm) in rodents, which produces a nonfunctional AR protein, provides an excellent model to probe the role of ARs in the development of brain and behavior. Tfm rodent models indicate that ARs are normally involved in the masculinization of many sexually dimorphic brain regions and a variety of behaviors, including sexual behaviors, stress response and cognitive processing. We review the role of ARs in the development of the brain and behavior, with an emphasis on what has been learned from Tfm rodents as well as from related mutations in humans causing complete androgen insensitivity. Keywordscomplete androgen insensitivity syndrome -CAIS; vasopressin; anxiety; spatial memory; bed nucleus; medial amygdala; SDN-POA; sexual behavior; aggression; VMH Exposure to testicular steroids such as testosterone (T) early in life masculinizes the developing brain, leading to permanent changes in behavior in a wide variety of animal models (Morris et al., 2004). According to the aromatization hypothesis, T is converted by aromatase into 17-β estradiol (E2), which then acts on estrogen receptors (ERs) to masculinize the brain (Naftolin et al., 1975). Traditionally, aromatization is believed to be the mechanism by which the rodent brain becomes masculinized and defeminized. Some sexually dimorphic regions within the hypothalamus adhere well to this hypothesis, including the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) and anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV). T spares neuronsCorresponding author: Damian Zuloaga, Neuroscience Program, 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, Phone: Fax: (517) 432-2744, Email: E-mail: zuloagad@msu.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript from death in the SDN-POA...

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“…They were maintained on a 12 h:12 h light:dark schedule with free access to food and water. Play behavior was assessed on postnatal days 31 and 35 as described by Field et al [35]. Two animals from the same birth group that had been housed as cagemates since weaning were tested as pairs.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Videotapes were later scored for the number of playful attacks/10 min by each animal, and the numbers for the two members of the pair were combined. A playful attack was scored when snout contact by one animal with any body part resulted in a playful defensive maneuver (partial or complete rotation to supine position) by the second animal or when one animal brought its snout in contact with or within 4 cm of its partner’s nape [35]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Birth Hypoxia Increases the Neonatal Testosterone Surge in the Rat

Boksa

Zhang

2008

Neuroendocrinology

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Background/Aims: Global birth hypoxia in rats has been shown to produce long-term changes in central nervous system functions, known to be influenced by neonatal testosterone secretion. Birth hypoxia alters levels of several circulating hormones, but it is unknown if it affects neonatal testosterone. Methods: Using a rat model of acute global hypoxia during cesarean section (C-section) birth, this study tested whether birth hypoxia affects neonatal testosterone. We then evaluated whether the observed hypoxia-induced changes in neonatal testosterone may be mediated via N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation and/or altered luteinizing hormone (LH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or corticosterone levels. Longer-term effects of birth hypoxia on testosterone-related function were also assessed. Results: Rats born by C-section + 15 min of anoxia had significantly higher plasma testosterone at 2 and 3 h after birth compared to controls born either vaginally or by C-section. Administration of an NMDA receptor antagonist at birth increased neonatal testosterone in both anoxic pups and controls. Pups exposed to birth anoxia under hypothermic conditions also showed increased neonatal testosterone. Circulating LH, follicle-stimulating hormone and corticosterone in neonates, and testosterone at adulthood were unaffected by birth hypoxia. However, plasma ACTH was significantly increased in anoxic neonates at 2 h after birth. Birth condition had no effect on anogenital distance or juvenile play behavior. Conclusion: It is concluded that birth hypoxia augments plasma testosterone during the critical period of the neonatal testosterone surge, by a mechanism that is independent of NMDA-mediated LH secretion, but may involve increased circulating ACTH.

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Play fighting in androgen-insensitivetfm rats: Evidence that androgen receptors are necessary for the development of adult playful attack and defense

Cited by 30 publications

References 53 publications

Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions

Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions

The role of androgen receptors in the masculinization of brain and behavior: What we've learned from the testicular feminization mutation

Global Birth Hypoxia Increases the Neonatal Testosterone Surge in the Rat

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