A single testosterone pulse rapidly reduces urinary marking behaviour in subordinate, but not dominant, white-footed mice

Abstract

Androgenic hormones can rapidly influence how animals behave, although the dynamics of these effects remain elusive. In particular, we know little about whether androgens rapidly impact behavioural strategizing or whether such effects vary among individuals of the same species. Here, we examine these issues by testing how transient testosterone (T) surges, which normally occur in response to social stimuli, rapidly alter the urinary marking behaviour of socially subordinate and dominant male white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus. Marking behaviour in mice is important in reproductive competition and advertisement; thus, how an individual marks its environment with urine likely reflects the strategy it uses to find a mate. Moreover, urine-marking patterns are indicative of social status and territorial propensity. Our results show that a single T pulse, within minutes, suppresses all measures of urinary marking behaviour in subordinate mice, including amounts of perimeter (territorial) marking and total (status-related) marking. These effects are not observed in dominant mice. The data collectively suggest that androgens rapidly change behaviour tightly associated with reproductive strategy and decision making. Moreover, these effects depend on an individual's social status, which suggests that there is intraspecific variation in the way that androgens affect marking behaviour on short timescales. This study fills a gap in our understanding about the plasticity of rapid androgenic effects on behaviour, and how these responses can influence adaptive reproductive tactics.