Agonistic interaction is important for establishing social hierarchy and determining access to limited resources. Although there are substantial studies investigating the neural mechanisms of aggressive or defensive behavior in male rodents, little attention has been paid to the mechanisms underlying agonistic behaviors in females. In the present study, we depicted patterns of agonistic behaviors in sexually naïve female Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and examined the neuronal activation in the brain by Fos-immunoreactive (Fos-ir) staining. We found that the winner-loser relationship was established rapidly. Winners displayed higher levels of aggression, environmental exploration, scent marking, and self-grooming, but less defensive behavior, in comparison to losers. Several patterns of Fos-ir expression emerged following agonistic interactions. Winners had the number of Fos-ir cells in the ventrolateral subnucleus of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl) and dorsal periaqueductal grey (PAGd) more than the controls but less than the losers. Losers also had more Fos-ir cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), anterior medial (BSTam) and anteriolateral (BSTal) subnuclei of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), and the ventral subnucleus of the lateral septum (LSv), as well as less Fos-ir cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG), compared to the controls. In addition, the number of Fos-ir cells showed similar increases in the principal nucleus (BSTpr) and interfascicular nucleus (BSTif) of the BST and amygdala (AMYG) in both the winners and losers, compared to the controls. Together, these data illustrate the patterns of altered neuronal activation in a behavior-, social status-, and brain region-specific manner, implicating potential roles of the brain neural circuit in mediating agonistic interactions in female Mongolian gerbils.

对抗性互动对于建立社会等级和确定对有限资源的访问很重要。尽管有大量研究调查雄性啮齿动物攻击性或防御性行为的神经机制，但很少有人关注雌性啮齿动物激动行为的潜在机制。在本研究中，我们描绘了性幼稚的雌性蒙古沙鼠（Meriones unguiculatus) 并通过 Fos 免疫反应 (Fos-ir) 染色检查大脑中的神经元激活。我们发现赢家与输家的关系很快就建立起来了。与失败者相比，获胜者表现出更高水平的攻击性、环境探索、气味标记和自我修饰，但防御行为较少。在激动相互作用之后出现了几种 Fos-ir 表达模式。优胜者在下丘脑腹内侧 (VMHvl) 和背侧导水管周围灰质 (PAGd) 的腹外侧亚核中的 Fos-ir 细胞数量多于对照组，但少于失败者。失败者的下丘脑室旁核 (PVN)、前内侧 (BSTam) 和前外侧 (BSTal) 亚核中也有更多的 Fos-ir 细胞 (BST)，与对照组相比，外侧中隔 (LSv) 的腹侧亚核以及海马齿状回 (DG) 中的 Fos-ir 细胞较少。此外，与对照组相比，在赢家和输家中，Fos-ir 细胞的数量在 BST 的主核 (BSTpr) 和束间核 (BSTif) 和杏仁核 (AMYG) 中显示出相似的增加。总之，这些数据说明了以行为、社会地位和大脑区域特定方式改变的神经元激活模式，暗示了大脑神经回路在调节雌性蒙古沙鼠的激动相互作用中的潜在作用。与对照组相比，Fos-ir 细胞的数量在 BST 和杏仁核 (AMYG) 的主核 (BSTpr) 和束间核 (BSTif) 中显示出相似的增加。总之，这些数据说明了以行为、社会地位和大脑区域特定方式改变神经元激活的模式，暗示了大脑神经回路在调节雌性蒙古沙鼠的激动相互作用中的潜在作用。与对照组相比，Fos-ir 细胞的数量在 BST 和杏仁核 (AMYG) 的主核 (BSTpr) 和束间核 (BSTif) 中显示出相似的增加。总之，这些数据说明了以行为、社会地位和大脑区域特定方式改变神经元激活的模式，暗示了大脑神经回路在调节雌性蒙古沙鼠的激动相互作用中的潜在作用。