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Horm Behav

Title:		Modulatory role of testosterone in alarm pheromone release by male rats
Author(s):		Kiyokawa Y; Kikusui T; Takeuchi Y; Mori Y;
Address:		"Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, Department of Animal Resources Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan. akikus@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp"
Journal Title:		Horm Behav
Year:		2004
Volume:		45
Issue:		2
Page Number:		122 - 127
DOI:		10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.09.007
ISSN/ISBN:		0018-506X (Print) 0018-506X (Linking)
Abstract:		"An alarm pheromone released from stressed conspecifics evokes behavioral and autonomic responses in rats. We have previously reported that male Wistar rats show behavioral changes including increased sniffing, walking and rearing, and decreased resting as well as exaggerated response of body temperature to a novel environment [known as stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH)] when they are exposed to an alarm pheromone released from other male rats receiving foot shocks. The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of testosterone in the production and release of the alarm pheromone using these behavioral and autonomic responses in recipient rats. Three groups of alarm pheromone donors were presented, namely, intact males, castrated males, and testosterone-implanted castrated males. The effects of the alarm pheromone on the autonomic responses did not differ among the three groups, regardless of the donor's steroidal milieu, whereas behavioral responses were altered by castrating the donor males and the effects were restored by testosterone implantation. These results suggest that the alarm pheromone released from stressed male rats can be classified into at least two categories according to the androgen dependency of their production and/or release"
Keywords:		"Analysis of Variance Animals Fear/*physiology Male Pheromones/*metabolism Random Allocation Rats Rats, Wistar Stress, Psychological/physiopathology Testosterone/*physiology;"
Notes:		"MedlineKiyokawa, Yasushi Kikusui, Takefumi Takeuchi, Yukari Mori, Yuji eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2004/03/17 Horm Behav. 2004 Feb; 45(2):122-7. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.09.007"