The mechanism of suppression of shock-induced fighting by chlordiazepoxide.

Chlordiazepoxide (CDP), one of a number of drugs in\u27 the class Ijnown as the benzodiazepines, is known to have central muscle relaxant effects , anticonvulsant effects against electroconvulsive shock and chemical agents, depressive effects on the duration of electrical afterdischarges in the limbic system, and attenuation of fear in avoidance and conflict situations • It also has been found to have a suppressive effect on a number of aggressive behavioral responses. CDP was found to depress mouse killing in rats (Loiselle and Caparell, 1966), to have taming effects on vicious cynomolgus monkeys (Heise and Boff, 1961), to produce calming of septal rats (Horovitz, Furgiuele, Brannick, Burke and Craver, 1963); to reduce shock-induced fighting of mice (Stille, 1962), and to lessen fighting of previously isolated mice (Cole and Wolf, 1966). Reduction of aggressive behavior, then, would seem to be quite eviden