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Cited by 219Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorAnimal Behavior and ReproductionStress Responses and Cortisol

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 89 of the 91 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Individual Variation in Aggression of Feral Rodent Strains: A Standard for the Genetics of Aggression and Violence?

de Boer, Sietse F., van der Vegt, Bea J., Koolhaas, Jaap M.·2003·Behavior Genetics
DOI 10.1023/a:1025766415159
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Abstract

This article summarizes the broad individual differences in aggressiveness and its relationship with several other behavioral, physiological, and neurobiological characteristics that exist in an outbred laboratory strain of male feral rats. Based on the observations that the individual level of offensive aggressive behavior (i.e., the tendency to defend the home territory) is strongly related to the way they react to various other environmental challenges, it is argued that the individual's level of offensiveness is an important indicator and component of a more traitlike behavioral physiological response pattern (coping strategy) to environmental demands. The coping style of aggressive animals is principally aimed at a (pro)active prevention or manipulation of a stressor, whereas the nonaggressive individuals tend to passively accept or react to it. The (pro)active and reactive/passive behavioral coping styles are clearly associated with distinct patterns of autonomic/endocrine (re)activity and underlying neurobiological correlates and determinants. Consequently, these individual differences in aggression/coping style may not only determine the individual vulnerability to stress-related disease, and hence be an important factor in the population dynamics of the species, but may also determine responsivity to pharmacotherapeutic treatments. From an animal modeling point of view, it is argued that the aggressive extremes of this variation may, under the proper testing conditions, have an enhanced propensity to develop pathological forms of aggression and/or coping, for example, antisocial traits, violence, or impulsivity disorders. Finally, it is proposed that the use of these feral animals as base "material" for genetic association (i.e., QTL search, mRNA differential expression, nucleic acid microarray analysis) and manipulation (i.e., gene silencing or amplification by antisense ODN, siRNA, and/or viral gene-transfer methodologies) studies would most likely be the best option for dissecting successfully the genetic basis of both normal and pathological forms of aggression and/or coping.

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Crossref · 10.1023/a:1025766415159

Cites

89 of 89 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Wild rats from the wild-type Groningen line can be distinguished into three subpopulations characterized by low (<15%), intermediate (15%-55%), and high (>55%) aggression.

    “In rats from wild group three subpopulations could be distinguished, which were characterized by low (<15% time spent on aggressive behaviors), intermediate (15%-55%) and high (>55%) aggression.”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [40]

  • Wistar rats' aggression ranged from 0% to maximally 40% or 50%, with no high-aggression animals observed.

    “Distribution of Wistar rats was clearly different, their aggression ranged from 0% to maximally 40% or 50%, with no high-aggression animals observed.”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [40]

  • Wild rats from the first laboratory-born generation also display play fighting, but less frequently and with slightly different tactics, keeping more distance than laboratory counterparts.

    “There is some evidence that wild rats (from the first laboratoryborn generation) also display play fighting, but they do it less frequently and employ slightly different tactics, that is, keeping more distance than their laboratory counterparts.40,41”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [40]

  • Most research on aggression or domestication was performed in the 1980s.

    “Unfortunately, most research on such topics as aggression 188 or domestication 40,41 were performed in the 1980s.”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [40]

Citations

Cites

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2 of the 91 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 12

  1. Barnett, S. A. (1975). The rat: A study of behavior. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  2. Coccaro, E. F., and Kavoussi, R. J. (1996). Neurotransmitter correlates of aggression. In D. M. Stoff and R. B. Cairns (Eds.). The neurobiology of clinical aggression (pp. 67-85). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence J. Erlbaum Associates Inc.
  3. de Boer, S. F., van der Vegt, B. J., and Koolhaas, J. M. (2001). Hypersensitivity of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B autoreceptors as a causal neuromechanism underlying high trait aggressiveness. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 89:7.
  4. Koolhaas, J. M., Moor, E., Hiemstra, Y., and Bohus, B. (1991). The testosterone dependent vasopressinergic neurons in the medial amygdala and lateral septum: Involvement in social behavior of male rats. In S. Jard and R. Jamison (Ed.), Vasopressin (pp. 213-219). Paris-London: Inserm/John Libbey Eurotexty Ltd.
  5. Menard, J. L., and Meaney, M. J. (2001). Maternal care in early life influences patterns of defensive responding and associated fos expression in adulthood. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 541:4.
  6. Olivier, B., Mos, J., Raghoebar, M., de Koning, P., and Mak, M. (1994). Serenics. In E. Jucker (Eds.), Progress in drug research (Vol. 42, pp. 167-308). Basel: Birkhauser Verlag.
  7. Scott, J. P. (1958). Aggression. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  8. Smit, J., van Oosten, R. V., Palm, I. F., Doze, P., Koolhaas, J. M., and Zaagsma, J. (1998). Prejunctional modulation of noradrenergic neurotransmission in wild type rats: A possible relationship with coping styles. Am. J. Physiol. 7:111-122.
  9. Timmermans, P. J. A. (1978). Social behavior in the rat. PhD thesis. University of Nijmegen.
  10. van Hooff, J. A. R. A. M. (1977). The adaptive meaning of aggressive behavior. In P. R. Wiepkema and J. A. R. A. M. van Hooff (Eds.), Aggressive behavior: Causes and functions. Utrecht: Bohn, Scheltema and Holkema.
  11. van Oortmerssen, G. A., and Busser, J. (1989). Disruptive selection on aggression as a possible force in evolution. In P. F. Brain, D. Mainardi, and S. Parmigiani (Eds.), House mouse aggression: A model for understanding the evolution of social behavior (pp. 87-116). Chur: Harwood Academic.
  12. Wilson, E. A. (1975). Sociobiology. Cambridge: Belknap Press, Harvard University Press.

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Metadata

Authors
de Boer, S. F., van der Vegt, B. J., & Koolhaas, J. M.
Venue
Behavior Genetics
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2003-09
Volume
33
Issue
5
Pages
485-501
ISSN
  • 0001-8244 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3297
DOI
10.1023/a:1025766415159
OpenAlex
W2151519006
Cited by
219
References
91
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 7
FWCI
3.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Behavior Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
aggression, individual differences, coping styles, proactive coping, reactive coping, stress response, neurobiology of aggression, antisocial behavior, impulse control disorders, genetic association, quantitative trait loci, gene silencing, antisense oligonucleotides, viral gene delivery
MeSH terms
Aggression, Animals, Animals, Wild, Catecholamines, Corticosterone, Female, Housing, Animal, Male, Reaction Time, Genetic Variation, Rats

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