Sex differences in agonistic social behavior: Effects of exercise and ovariectomy

In adult Sprague-Dawley rats during juvenile social exploration, males showed higher offensive aggression (more aggressive grooming and pinning) while females showed more defensive kicking, darting, and avoidance.

• Why it matters: Prior work emphasized male aggression and aggression-eliciting paradigms, leaving how offensive versus defensive responses are regulated across sexes during other social interactions unclear.
• What they did: Adult rats were tested for agonistic behavior under sex, voluntary wheel running (VWR), and ovariectomy (OVX), with offensive and defensive behaviors scored during social exploration.
• The result: OVX selectively reduced defensive kicking without changing offensive aggression or avoidance, and VWR did not significantly affect any measured behaviors; sex differences in offensive aggression disappeared when defensive behaviors were included.

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