BEHAVIORAL PROFILE OF CLOBAZAM IN AGONISTIC ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN MALE-MICE

The effects of 1-4 benzodiazepines on various types of aggression have been extensively studied. Broadly speaking, benzodiazepines decrease offensive behaviours but only at doses that cause sedation. Clobazam i s a 1-5 benzodiazepine that shows a relatively non-sedative action, ev en at high doses. However, its behavioural profile in agonistic encoun ters between mice has not been specifically studied. The effects of a single injection of clobazam (0.75, 1.5 or 3 mg kg(-1)) or saline (0.9 % NaCl) on the agonistic behaviour elicited by isolation in male mice were examined. Individually housed mice were exposed to anosmic 'stand ard opponents' 30 min after the drug administration, and the encounter s were videotaped and evaluated using an ethologically based analysis. Clobazam significantly decreased attack and increased social investig ation behaviours without a significant increase of immobility. The res ults show a specific ethopharmacological profile characterised by supp ression of aggressive behaviour, increase in social investigation and no evident impairment of motor activity. It is concluded that drugs ac ting at the BDZ/GABA complex can selectively decrease isolation-induce d aggression in mice.