Most mammal studies on the neuroendocrine mechanisms of territorial aggression have demonstrated that testosterone (T) is required for the display of territorial aggression. However, the relationship between T and aggression is more complex and may be modulated by social factor. The aim of this study was to determine the role of T in territorial aggression in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), and the effect of social factors on the modulation of this behavior. The relationship between T and territorial aggression was analyzed using castration and T replacement in two social contexts: male-male and male-female cohabitation. Plasma T concentrations in males of all groups were quantified by radioimmunoassay (RIA). T concentrations were compared using two-way ANOVA. Only sham-castrated and castrated males with T replacement in male-female cohabitation showed aggression, whereas castrated gerbils in the same condition were not aggressive. This indicates that T is the hormone that maintains territorial aggression, but mating is a modulator stimulus. The modulator effect of mating in territorial aggression was associated with an increase in T, but it seems that other mechanisms are involved in the regulation of this behavior, since castrated males with T replacement in the male-male cohabitation did not exhibit aggression, although they had T concentrations as high as these males that received the same treatment, but that cohabited with a female. These results suggest that T is involved in the mechanisms that regulate territorial aggression in the male Mongolian gerbil, and that the cohabitation with a female modulates this behavior.

中文翻译：

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雄性蒙古沙鼠（Meriones unguiculatus）与雌性同居可以调节睾丸激素依赖性的领土侵略。

大多数哺乳动物对领土侵略的神经内分泌机制的研究表明，睾丸激素（T）是展示领土侵略所必需的。但是，T与侵略之间的关系更为复杂，并可能受到社会因素的调节。这项研究的目的是确定T在蒙古沙鼠（Meriones unguiculatus）的领土侵略中的作用，以及社会因素对这种行为的调节作用。在两个社会情境中，使用ration割和T替代来分析T与领土侵略之间的关系：男女同居。通过放射免疫测定法（RIA）对所有组男性的血浆T浓度进行定量。使用双向方差分析比较T浓度。只有假cast割和cast割的雄性和雌性同居中的T替换雄性表现出攻击性，而cast割的沙鼠在相同条件下则没有侵略性。这表明T是维持领土侵略的激素，而交配则是调节剂。领土侵略中交配的调节作用与T的增加有关，但似乎其他机制也参与了这种行为的调节，因为rated割的雄性与雄性同居的雄性被T替代后没有表现出侵略性，尽管它们其T浓度与接受相同治疗但与女性同居的这些男性一样高。这些结果表明T参与了调节雄性沙鼠的领土侵略的机制，