Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the agonistic interactions of intact rodents toward anosmic conspecific adults in two different strains of mice (OF.1 and NMRI), using an animal model of isolation-induced aggression. Individually housed male mice were exposed to anosmic 'standard opponents' and the encounters were videotaped and evaluated using an ethologically based analysis which facilitated estimation of time allocated to ten broad behavioural categories: 1. Body care; 2. Digging; 3. Non-social exploration; 4. Exploration from a distance; 5. Social investigation; 6. Threat; 7. Attack; 8. Avoidance/flee; 9. Defense/submission; 10. Immobility. The results showed that both strains of mice exhibited a very similar behavioural profile of agonistic interactions. It is concluded that both strains of mice can be appropriately used in psychopharmacological investigations in which an isolation-induced aggression model be employed.
