Cortisol controls the pubertal development of agonistic behavior in male golden hamsters via type II corticosteroid receptors

In male golden hamsters, agonistic behavior undergoes a pubertal transition from play fighting to adult aggression. Previous studies have shown that this aspect of behavioral development is associated with pubertal increases in glucocorticoids and that daily social stress or injections of a syntheti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hormones and behavior 2007-03, Vol.51 (3), p.306-312
Main Authors: Wommack, Joel C., Delville, Yvon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescence
Aggression
Aggressiveness
Agonistic Behavior - drug effects
Animal behavior
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Corticosteroid receptors
Cricetinae
Endocrinology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hamster
Hormones
Hormones and behavior
Hydrocortisone - pharmacology
Male
Mesocricetus
Mifepristone - pharmacology
Motor Activity - drug effects
Play fighting
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Receptors, Steroid - antagonists & inhibitors
Receptors, Steroid - metabolism
Receptors, Steroid - physiology
Rodents
RU486
Sexual Maturation - drug effects
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Summary:In male golden hamsters, agonistic behavior undergoes a pubertal transition from play fighting to adult aggression. Previous studies have shown that this aspect of behavioral development is associated with pubertal increases in glucocorticoids and that daily social stress or injections of a synthetic glucocorticoid accelerate the transition. The goals of this study were to confirm the effects of cortisol on the development of agonistic behavior and to investigate the role of type II corticosteroid receptors in this process. First, animals treated with cortisol during early puberty [from postnatal days 31 (P-31) to P-36] showed an accelerated transition from play fighting to adult aggression. In a second experiment, the behavioral effects of cortisol were blocked by a co-treatment with a type II corticosteroid receptor antagonist. These findings are the first to show a facilitating role for type II corticosteroid receptors in the pubertal development of a social behavior. As such, these findings provide new insights into the neuroendocrine mechanisms controlling behavioral development during puberty.
ISSN:0018-506X
1095-6867
DOI:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.11.007