Arkin Abliz, Saito Toru R, Takahashi Kimimasa, Amao Hiromi, Aoki-Komori Shinobu, Takahashi Kazuaki W
Division of Laboratory Animal Science, Nippon Veterinary and Animal Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonan-cho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan.
Exp Anim. 2003 Jan;52(1):17-24. doi: 10.1538/expanim.52.17.
Marking behavior, marking-like behavior [3], and changes of the scent glands were observed in aged Mongolian gerbils. In Experiment 1, changes in the marking and marking-like behavior with aging were evaluated in adult male and female Mongolian gerbils of an inbred strain aged 6 to 36 months. The frequency of marking behavior in males was significantly higher than females throughout the observation period except at 36 months of age. On the other hand, frequency of marking-like behavior in males, but not in females decreased with aging, significantly. In Experiment 2, changes of the scent gland in adult males and females aged 6 to 36 months were morphologically evaluated. Macroscopic examination revealed an increase in the size length and width of the glands of males aged 12 months and females aged 6 months. Histologically the glands of all the males and females aged 6 months developed moderately or well. Some of the 12-month-old males and females showed acinar atrophy of the glands, and all the females aged 18 months or more had highly atrophied scent glands. From these results, we concluded that there is no relationship between the changes of marking behavior and those of the scent glands in aged male Mongolian gerbils, and assume that marking behavior in aged animals does not have an important meaning as marking. In Experiment 3, marking and marking-like behavior in castrated adult Mongolian gerbils aged 16 weeks were observed. The result showed that marking behavior, not marking-like behavior was inhibited after castration. From these findings, we consider that generally marking behavior in Mongolian gerbils consists of androgen-dependent marking behavior and androgen-independent marking behavior (marking-like behavior).
在老年蒙古沙鼠中观察到了标记行为、类似标记行为[3]以及气味腺的变化。在实验1中，对6至36月龄近交系成年雄性和雌性蒙古沙鼠随着年龄增长的标记行为和类似标记行为的变化进行了评估。在整个观察期内，除36月龄外，雄性的标记行为频率显著高于雌性。另一方面，雄性类似标记行为的频率随年龄增长而下降，雌性则不然，且下降显著。在实验2中，对6至36月龄成年雄性和雌性的气味腺变化进行了形态学评估。宏观检查显示，12月龄雄性和6月龄雌性的腺体大小（长度和宽度）增加。组织学上，所有6月龄雄性和雌性的腺体发育中等或良好。一些12月龄的雄性和雌性出现了腺体腺泡萎缩，所有18月龄及以上的雌性气味腺高度萎缩。从这些结果来看，我们得出结论，老年雄性蒙古沙鼠的标记行为变化与气味腺变化之间没有关系，并推测老年动物的标记行为作为一种标记并没有重要意义。在实验3中，观察了16周龄去势成年蒙古沙鼠的标记行为和类似标记行为。结果表明，去势后标记行为受到抑制，而类似标记行为不受影响。从这些发现来看，我们认为一般来说，蒙古沙鼠的标记行为由雄激素依赖性标记行为和雄激素非依赖性标记行为（类似标记行为）组成。
