ABSTRAKT

Correlation between the level of testosterone in the blood plasma and serotonin content in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex were investigated in aggressive and submissive rats of different age groups. Within each age group, testosterone level was found to be dependent on behavior type. The highest testosterone level was observed in aggressive animals. In submissive males, a considerable decrease in serotonin level (by 55 − 70% depending on age) was found in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus, compared with balanced and aggressive animals. The positive correlation between testosterone and serotonin levels was shown in submissive and aggressive animals in contrast to the negative correlation in balanced males. The change of negative correlation between the testosterone and serotonin levels into the positive one along with the changes in testosterone level (decrease or increase) is likely to be one of the components in formation of submissive and aggressive (dominant) behavior type, respectively.