Androgen-induced agonistic behavior in castrate male swiss-webster mice: Comparison of four naturally occurring androgens

Abstract

Agonistic behaviors including tail rattling, biting and fighting between castrate male Swiss-Webster mice living in isolation and group-housed castrate male SW mice was facilitated by treatment with testosterone, dihydrotestosterone or androstenedione. In these tests testosterone appeared to be more potent than dihydrotestosterone and androstenedione. These three androgens as well as androstanedione were all capable of stimulating growth of the seminal vesicles and preputial glands. As potency in these peripheral tissues did not parallel potency in the behavioral tests it was suggested that different hormone metabolites are differentially effective in different target tissues and in different behaviors. Differences between these data and similar data for the CD-1 mouse were also discussed.