Irritable male syndrome

The face and horns of a ram with brown wool
Irritable male syndrome has been documented in Soay rams.

Irritable male syndrome (IMS) is an annual behavior pattern that has been described in Soay sheep and other mammals with a strictly seasonal breeding pattern and described in a 2002 literature review of animal behavior by Lincoln A. Gerald. IMS is a striking feature in mammals with seasonal breeding patterns; it manifests at the end of the mating season.[1] The term has been adapted to refer to disagreeability observed in aged human males.[2]

  1. ^ Lincoln, Gerald A. (February 8, 2002), "The irritable male syndrome", Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 13 (8): 567–576, doi:10.1071/RD01077, PMID 11999307
  2. ^ Diamond, Jed (2000). Surviving Male Menopause. A Guide for Women and Men. Naperville, Ill: Sourcebooks. ISBN 978-1-57071-433-7.