Organizational Effects
Organizational effects of androgens on aggression:
Evidence that androgens can also act in utero to facilitate aggression.
Study by Vom Saal et al. (1983)
Does interuterine position alter the aggressive behavior of adult female mice?
- In the female mouse, multiples fetuses are carried to term (parturition).
- Female mouse, as is true of other lower mammals, possesses a �U-shaped� uterine horn in which multiple developing embyos can implant into uterus and grow.
- In most instances, each fetus is surrounded by two other fetuses--male or female: 2M female (female fetus develops between 2 males fetuses), 1M female (female fetus develops between 1 male and 1 female fetus), and 0 M female (females develops between 2 female fetuses).
- If you are a �2M� female, you will be surrounded by male fetusus and you will see higher levels of androgens in utero than a �OM� female (partial masculinization)..
- Results: 2M females, as adults, exhibit greater levels of aggression than OM females.