The winner effect is an accumulation of previous wins that increase future winning. A primary unanswered question about the winner effect is how do individuals integrate information about previous wins? Dopamine (DA) has been implicated because phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase (pTH), the rate-limiting enzyme for DA biosynthesis, is elevated following multiple winning experiences. Moreover, DA receptor blockers and agonists influence aggression when administered prior to male-male contests. In the current study, we administered D1- and D2-like DA receptor antagonists immediately after a contest and examined the development of the winner effect in the territorial California mouse, Peromyscus californicus. During a 3-contest training phase, resident males experienced winning contests, followed immediately by a peripheral injection of either a DA receptor antagonist or vehicle or a handling experience (without injection). The DA receptor antagonists used in this study did not influence locomotion. To assess the cumulative effects of previous winning, males were subjected to a final test contest with a more competitive intruder. The winner effect was significantly decreased by both D1- and D2-like receptor antagonists administered during training. During the test contest, attack behavior was significantly reduced by previous administration of both types of DA receptor antagonists compared with controls. D1-like receptor blockade also diminished chasing behavior, whereas D2-antagonist treated animals continued to pursue opponents. During training against a less competitive intruder, there was no difference in aggressive behaviors between experimental and controls males. Our data indicate that DA activity between contests is concomitant with the competitive advantage gained from multiple winning experiences.
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