Inhibition by dehydroepiandrosterone of aggression responses of spayed female mice towards lactating intruders is potentiated by neonatal androgenization

Female mice of an inbred Swiss strain were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with either testosterone propionate or oil-vehicle on the day of birth. Once adult (8 week-old), they were spayed, and then treated either with dehydroepiandrosterone (80 micrograms/day s.c. for 15 days) or with solvent. The decrease of biting attacks by dehydroepiandrosterone was definitely more prominent in neonatally imprinted females than in controls.