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Hormonal Influence on the Social Behavior of the Vole, Microtus Ochrogaster

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Hormonal Influence on the Social Behavior of the Vole, Microtus Ochrogaster Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1978 Hormonal influence on the social behavior of the vole, Microtus ochrogaster: effects of photoperiod, temperature, gonadectomy, preputialectomy and oral angle gland removal Hetty Burnett Beard Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Beard, Hetty Burnett, "Hormonal influence on the social behavior of the vole, Microtus ochrogaster: effects of photoperiod, temperature, gonadectomy, preputialectomy and oral angle gland removal " (1978). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 6478. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/6478 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the orignal document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". if It was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting Aru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor. Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road. Tyler's Green High Wycombe. Bucks. England HP10 8HR 7900168 BEARD, HETTY BUR1ŒTT HORMOKAL lEPLUEECE ON THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF THE VOLE, MICROTUS OCHROGASTER: EFFECTS OF PHOTOPERIOD, TEMPERATURE, GOUADECTOMÏ, PREPUTIALECTOMY AKD ORAL ANGLE GLAND REMOVAL. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, PH.D., 1978 University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48io6 © 1978 HETTY BURNETT BEARD All Rights Reserved Hormonal influence on the social behavior of the vole, Microtus ochroqaster: Effects of photoperiod, temperature, gonadectomy, preputialectomy and oral angle gland removal by Hetty Burnett Beard A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department: Zoology Major: Zoology (Animal Behavior) Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. In Charge of Major Work Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major DepartiJiênîrt^r Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Gi/Muate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1978 Copyright Hetty Burnett Beard, 1978. All rights reserved. i i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 4 MATERIALS AND METHODS 44 RESULTS 54 DISCUSSION 138 SUMMARY 158 REFERENCES 160 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 180 APPENDIX A: RATING SCALE FOR AGGRESSIVENESS 181 APPENDIX B: BEHAVIORAL ELEMENTS 182 APPENDIX C: ORCHIDECTOMY 183 APPENDIX D: PREPARATION OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE 184 APPENDIX E: PREPUTIALECTOMY 185 APPENDIX F: ORAL GLAND REMOVAL 185 APPENDIX G: MODIFIED PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS 187 APPENDIX H: ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLES FOR BEHAVIORAL ELEMENTS, INDIVIDUAL VOLE BEHAVIOR AND GLAND WEIGHTS 188 1 INTRODUCTION The literature on social behavior documents the hormonal and phero- monal influences on sexual behavior and aggression. Several lines of evidence indicate that endocrine organs play a major role in the deter­ mination of aggressive and sexual behavior. The presence of androgens appears to be a prerequisite for the development and maintenance of ag­ gressive behavior (Beeman, 1947; Scott and Fredericson, 1951), since castration is followed by a reduction in aggressiveness in rodents and in other mammals, while exogenous androgen-replacement therapy results in its restoration (Beeman, 1947; Scott and Fredericson, 1951; Luttge and Hall, 1973a,b). The relationship between androgens and aggression depends upon the species studied, the dosage of androgen used, the sex of the animal, and environmental stimuli. Aggression is enhanced by isolating animals several weeks before ag­ gressive encounters. Bevan et al. (1958) found that masculinization by testosterone administration of isolated female mice was ineffective in in­ ducing aggressive behavior, whereas feminization of males prevented the effect of isolation and also inhibited aggression in previously aggressive mice. Androgens apparently modify the fighting behavior of isolated males by influencing the production of olfactory cues (Mugford and Nowell, 1970). Hormones are thought to lower the threshold for aggression- eliciting cues (Sigg, 1969). It is apparent from studies in mammals that pheromones play a role in communicating a number of social messages. Bronson and Caroom (1971) 2 found that preputial secretions of male mice attract females. Preputial gland are affected by the endocrine status of the male since females were not attracted to castrates. Orsulak & Gawienowski (1972) found that males were attracted only to preputial secretions of estrous female rats. The urine of male mice contains a pheromone which increases the aggressiveness of other males (Mackintosh and Grant, 1966). The aggressive response does not persist after castration, thus Mugford and Nowell (1970) concluded that production of this perhomone depends upon androgens. Testosterone propionate induces an increase in aggression of intact males toward cas­ trated males scented with intact male urine, whereas when castrated males were scented with the urine of ovariectomized females aggression toward them was reduced (Mugford and Nowell, 1971a). The relationship between aggression and olfaction is supported by studies of Ropartz (1968b) who found that olfactory bulbectomy abolished fighting in previously aggres­ sive mice. The preputial gland represents an androgen-dependent organ that has been considered a source of a pheromone which is involved in aggression. Mugford and Nowell (1972) found that preputialectomy decreased aggression in males. Mugford and Nowell (1971b) postulated that male mice preputial glands secrete pheromones which are aggression-eliciting. Bronson and Caroom (1971) and Orsulak and Gawienowski (1972) postulated that the male preputial glands function in sex recognition since females are attracted to secretions of the male preputial gland. These findings suggest that preputial glands function in both sex attraction and el ici tation of ag­ gression. 3 Other mammalian skin glands have been postulated to produce olfactory signals which communicate a social message. Examples of such glands are the Harderian glands of the Mongolian gerbil, the oral angle gland of microtine rodents, the tarsal gland of the black-tailed deer and the sub- auricular gland of male pronghorns. The functioning of these exocrine glands depends upon hormones and environmental conditions which might modulate hormonal levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate some hormonal, phero- monal and environmental influences on the social behavior of the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster. The research included a comparison of the ag­ gressive behavior of animals treated with testosterone propionate with those in which the gonads, preputial and oral angle glands were removed. Female voles were subjected to reduced temperature and photoperiod to study the effects of winter conditions upon the function of the hormonal and pheromonal glands affecting aggressive behavior. 4 LITERATURE REVIEW Social behavior is that "behavior which influences or is influenced by, other members of the same species" (Barnett, 1963). Social behavior involves reproductive activity, behavior which brings animals together, and all intraspecific conflict (Barnett, 1963). Many authors limit the term, social behavior, to behavior involving sign stimuli which function to regulate interorganismal distance, timing or sequencing of acts involv­ ing conspecifics, or when conspecifics act in concert to effect changes in their environment beneficial to
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