Interstrain aggression in hypertensive and/or hyperactive rats: SHR, WKY, WKHA, WKHT

Abstract

Four inbred rat strains, all derived from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, express hypertension and hyperactivity in all combinations: SHRs have both traits, WKYs have neither, WKHAs are hyperactive/normotensive, and WKHTs are hypertensive/normoactive. Rats of the four strains were tested for aggression, at one time only, by pairing subjects of same sex, same age, but different strain, in a novel arena, i.e., on neutral ground, for three consecutive, 5-min observation periods. Total aggression scores were highest in females, highest in the first 5-min period, and lower at 7–9 months than at younger ages. Allogrooming was more frequently observed than other types of aggression, such as attacks, mounts, aggressive postures, and blocks. Allogrooming scores were significantly elevated in the hypertensive strains, especially WKHT, and very low in the hyperactive strains, especially WKHA. The other forms of aggression were significantly higher in females with hyperactivity. It was concluded that interstrain aggression, as seen in SHRs and WKYs, is differentially expressed by two new strains genetically derived from them. Furthermore, no one strain among these four expresses all components of the behavioral responses seen in this form of aggression.