Quantitative and comparative analyses of pro-aggressive actions of benzodiazepines in maternal aggression of rats

The pro-aggressive effects of low doses of benzodiazepines on maternal aggression in rats were studied. Chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, oxazepam and alprazolam produced bell-shaped dose-response curves, with increased aggression at low doses. Only alprazolam significantly reduced aggression at higher doses. A comparison of the drug effects on different aggressive elements revealed that chlordiazepoxide and oxazepam increased the frequency of more elements of the aggressive repertoire than diazepam or alprazolam. Thus, although all benzodiazepine receptor agonists increased aggression, there were significant quantitative differences in their effects.