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Amici F, Liebal K, Ersson-Lembeck M, Holodynski M. A longitudinal comparison of maternal behaviour in German urban humans (Homo sapiens) and captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Sci Rep 2024; 14:1517. [PMID: 38233560 PMCID: PMC10794219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51999-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Comparative perspectives are crucial in the study of human development, yet longitudinal comparisons of humans and other primates are still relatively uncommon. Here, we combined theoretical frameworks from cross-cultural and comparative psychology, to study maternal style in 10 mother-infant pairs of German urban humans (Homo sapiens) and 10 mother-infant pairs of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), during the first year of infants' development. We conducted focal observations of different behaviours (i.e. nursing, carrying, body contact, touching, grooming, restraining, approaching, leaving, rejection, aggression, mutual gaze, object stimulation), during natural interactions. Analyses revealed a more distal maternal style in WEIRD humans than in captive chimpanzees, with different behaviours being generally more common in one of the two species throughout development. For other behaviours (i.e. nursing), developmental trajectories differed between WEIRD humans and captive chimpanzees, although differences generally decreased through infants' development. Overall, our study confirms functional approaches as a valid tool for comparative longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Amici
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Human Biology & Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Katja Liebal
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Human Biology & Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Talstrasse 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Education and Psychology, Comparative Developmental Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manuela Ersson-Lembeck
- Department of Education and Psychology, Comparative Developmental Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manfred Holodynski
- Faculty of Psychology/Sport and Exercise Studies, Institute for Psychology in Education, University of Münster, Fliednerstrasse 21, 48149, Münster, Germany
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2
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Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Joyce MM, Matthews HD, Moriarity RJ, Nobuhara H, Nobuhara T, Stewart BM, Shimizu K. Mothers of disabled infants had higher cortisol levels in a free-ranging group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Am J Primatol 2023:e23500. [PMID: 37189289 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are hormones released in response to stressors and can provide insight into an organism's physiological well-being. Experiencing chronic challenges to homeostasis is associated with significant deviations from baseline fecal GCs (fGCs) in many species, providing a noninvasive biomarker for assessing stress. In the group of free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) at the Awajishima Monkey Center in Japan, ~17% have congenital limb malformations. We collected 646 fecal samples from 27 females over three consecutive birth seasons (May-August) and analyzed them using enzyme immunoassay to extract fGCs. We explored the relationship between fGC levels and individual (physical impairment and reproductive status), social (dominance rank and availability of kin for social support), and ecological variables (exposure to potential predators, rainfall, and wild fruit availability). A disabled infant was associated significantly with higher fGC in the mother; however, physical impairment in adult females was not significantly related to fGC levels. Females with higher dominance rank had significantly lower fGC levels than lower ranking females. Other factors did not relate significantly to fGC. These results suggest that providing care that meets the support needs of disabled infants poses a physiological challenge for mothers and suggests that physically impaired adults are able to effectively compensate for their disabilities with behavioral plasticity. Once an individual with congenital limb malformations survives infancy through their mother's care, physical impairment does not appear to influence fGC values, while social variables like dominance rank significantly influenced cortisol values in free-ranging female Japanese macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Turner
- Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Linda M Fedigan
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Megan M Joyce
- Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - H Damon Matthews
- Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Robert J Moriarity
- School of Occupational and Public Health, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Brogan M Stewart
- Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama, Japan
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3
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Liu Y, Shan L, Liu T, Li J, Chen Y, Sun C, Yang C, Bian X, Niu Y, Zhang C, Xi J, Rao Y. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of the first social relationship: A conserved role of 5-HT from mice to monkeys, upstream of oxytocin. Neuron 2023; 111:1468-1485.e7. [PMID: 36868221 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Maternal affiliation by infants is the first social behavior of mammalian animals. We report here that elimination of the Tph2 gene essential for serotonin synthesis in the brain reduced affiliation in mice, rats, and monkeys. Calcium imaging and c-fos immunostaining showed maternal odors activation of serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei (RNs) and oxytocinergic neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Genetic elimination of oxytocin (OXT) or its receptor reduced maternal preference. OXT rescued maternal preference in mouse and monkey infants lacking serotonin. Tph2 elimination from RN serotonergic neurons innervating PVN reduced maternal preference. Reduced maternal preference after inhibiting serotonergic neurons was rescued by oxytocinergic neuronal activation. Our genetic studies reveal a role for serotonin in affiliation conserved from mice and rats to monkeys, while electrophysiological, pharmacological, chemogenetic, and optogenetic studies uncover OXT downstream of serotonin. We suggest serotonin as the master regulator upstream of neuropeptides in mammalian social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research (CIMR) and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10069, China.
| | - Liang Shan
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangcun Life Science Park, Beijing, China
| | - Tiane Liu
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangcun Life Science Park, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yongchang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Changhong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chaojuan Yang
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research (CIMR) and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Xiling Bian
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangcun Life Science Park, Beijing, China
| | - Yuyu Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research (CIMR) and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Jianzhong Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Rao
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research (CIMR) and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10069, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Changping Laboratory, Yard 28, Science Park Road, Changping District, Beijing, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangcun Life Science Park, Beijing, China; Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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4
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Castellano-Navarro A, Beltrán Francés V, Albiach-Serrano A, MacIntosh AJJ, Illa Maulany R, Ngakan PO, Liebal K, Amici F. Maternal and offspring behavior in free-ranging Japanese and moor macaques: A comparative approach. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23461. [PMID: 36575833 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Female primates represent the most important social partner for their developing offspring. However, mothers may strongly differ in the way they relate to their offspring (e.g., in terms of two different dimensions: protectiveness and rejection). In this study, we aimed to assess how dominance style predicts (i) changes in maternal behavior through offspring development, and (ii) the link between maternal behavior and offspring behavior. We conducted behavioral observations on 34 free-ranging immatures of two species of macaques with different dominance styles: less tolerant Japanese macaques (JM; Macaca fuscata) and more tolerant moor macaques (MM; Macaca maura). Our results showed that maternal behavior differed between JM and MM: maternal proximity and grooming decreased through offspring development more quickly in MM than in JM, whereas maternal rejection and aggression, which were generally more frequent in JM, decreased with offspring age similarly in both species. In contrast, maternal restraint of offspring decreased similarly with offspring age in both species. Furthermore, dominance style was differentially associated with the link between maternal and offspring behavior: in MM only, maternal grooming predicted an increase of the probability that offspring interacted with partners other than their mothers and engaged in solitary play, whereas maternal rejection predicted a decrease in the occurrence of solitary play. Overall, these results suggest interspecific variation in maternal behavior during offspring's first years of life, and point to the possibility that these differences may have an important role in shaping their behavioral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Castellano-Navarro
- Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.,Ethology and Animal Welfare Section, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Víctor Beltrán Francés
- Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.,Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Anna Albiach-Serrano
- Ethology and Animal Welfare Section, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Andrew J J MacIntosh
- Department of Ecology and Social Behavior, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.,Department of Conservation and Animal Welfare Science, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Risma Illa Maulany
- Department of Forestry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Putu O Ngakan
- Department of Forestry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Katja Liebal
- Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Federica Amici
- Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Urlacher SS, Kim EY, Luan T, Young LJ, Adjetey B. Minimally invasive biomarkers in human and non-human primate evolutionary biology: Tools for understanding variation and adaptation. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23811. [PMID: 36205445 PMCID: PMC9787651 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of minimally invasive biomarkers (MIBs - physiological biomarkers obtained from minimally invasive sample types) has expanded rapidly in science and medicine over the past several decades. The MIB approach is a methodological strength in the field of human and non-human primate evolutionary biology (HEB). Among humans and our closest relatives, MIBs provide unique opportunities to document phenotypic variation and to operationalize evolutionary hypotheses. AIMS This paper overviews the use of MIBs in HEB. Our objectives are to (1) highlight key research topics which successfully implement MIBs, (2) identify promising yet under-investigated areas of MIB application, and (3) discuss current challenges in MIB research, with suggestions for advancing the field. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A range of MIBs are used to investigate focal topics in HEB, including energetics and life history variation/evolution, developmental plasticity, and social status and dominance relationships. Nonetheless, we identify gaps in existing MIB research on traits such as physical growth and gut function that are central to the field. Several challenges remain for HEB research using MIBs, including the need for additional biomarkers and methods of assessment, robust validations, and approaches that are standardized across labs and research groups. Importantly, researchers must provide better support for adaptation and fitness effects in hypothesis testing (e.g., by obtaining complementary measures of energy expenditure, demonstrating redundancy of function, and performing lifetime/longitudinal analyses). We point to continued progress in the use of MIBs in HEB to better understand the past, present, and future of humans and our closest primate relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S. Urlacher
- Department of AnthropologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Child and Brain Development ProgramCIFARTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Elizabeth Y. Kim
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Department of BiologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Tiffany Luan
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Lauren J. Young
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Brian Adjetey
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
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6
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Ash H, Ziegler TE, Colman RJ. Early learning in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): Behavior in the family group is related to preadolescent cognitive performance. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23159. [PMID: 32515834 PMCID: PMC7440670 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Early environment can have a major impact on development, with family life known to play an important role. Longitudinal studies can therefore help increase our understanding of variance in cognitive abilities in young animals, as well as over time. We followed 22 marmosets (11 male and 11 female) from infancy through to early adolescence. At 3 months old, the marmosets were trained to reliably touch a rewarded stimulus. At 5 months, behavior was observed within the natal group. At 9 months, the marmosets were given a visual discrimination task to assess learning ability. Mann-Whitney U tests found no sex or family size differences in number of errors at 3 or 9 months. While no significant relationships were found between behavior in the family and learning at 3 months, significant negative correlations were found between duration spent in locomotion and learning errors (p = .05), as well as between frequency of calm vocalizations and learning errors (p = .001) at 9 months. A U-shape curve was found between amount of social play and learning at 9 months. Positive family interactions, including moderate amounts of play, as well as calm individual behavior, may therefore be important in learning. This study sheds light on cognitive development in much younger marmosets than previously studied, and helps increase understanding of how individual differences in learning may arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Ash
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Toni E. Ziegler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ricki J. Colman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, USA
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7
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Most CA, Strum SC. Bringing up baby: Maternal responsiveness, secondary attachments, and the development of infant social competence in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis). Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:963-978. [PMID: 32374036 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Caregiver responsiveness and presence of secondary attachments play a crucial role in children's socio-cognitive and emotional development, but little is known of their effect on the development of non-human primates. Here we present the results of a 16-month behavioral study conducted on 22 wild infant olive baboons (Papio anubis) at the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project, Kenya. This is the first study to examine the effects of maternal responsiveness and secondary attachments on the development of infant social behavior in a wild primate species that does not breed cooperatively. The data track maternal responsiveness and the rates of two behavioral indicators of infant social competence-orienting toward interactions and social play-over the course of the first year of life. Maternal responsiveness decreased as infants grew older, while infant orientation toward interactions and play behavior increased. Infants with poorly responsive mothers were more likely to have secondary attachments, and infants with secondary attachments to siblings oriented more frequently to social interactions than those with secondary attachments to adult/subadult males or with no secondary attachments. These findings indicate that variation in maternal responsiveness and presence of secondary attachments can influence the development of social competence in olive baboon infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna A Most
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Shirley C Strum
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.,Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project, Nairobi, Kenya.,Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Nairobi, Kenya
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9
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10
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Light LEO, Bartlett TQ, Poyas A, Nijland MJ, Huber HF, Li C, Keenan K, Nathanielsz PW. Maternal activity, anxiety, and protectiveness during moderate nutrient restriction in captive baboons (Papio sp.). J Med Primatol 2018; 47:10.1111/jmp.12350. [PMID: 29749628 PMCID: PMC6230519 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We hypothesized that maternal nutrient restriction (NR) would increase activity and behavioral indicators of anxiety (self-directed behaviors, SDBs) in captive baboons (Papio sp.) and result in more protective maternal styles. METHODS Our study included 19 adult female baboons. Seven females ate ad libitum (control group), and eight females ate 30% less (NR group) and were observed through pregnancy and lactation. RESULTS Control females engage in higher rates of SDB than NR females overall (P ≤ .018) and during the prenatal period (P ≤ .001) and engage in more aggressive behavior (P ≤ .033). Control females retrieved infants more than NR females during weeks 5-8 postpartum (P ≤ .019). CONCLUSIONS Lower SDB rates among prenatal NR females reduce energy expenditure and increase available resources for fetal development when nutritionally restricted. Higher infant retrieval rates by controls may indicate more infant independence rather than maternal style differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia E. O. Light
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223-0001, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Thad Q. Bartlett
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Annica Poyas
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Mark J. Nijland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
| | - Hillary F. Huber
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Cun Li
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Kate Keenan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Peter W. Nathanielsz
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
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11
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Emery Thompson M. Energetics of feeding, social behavior, and life history in non-human primates. Horm Behav 2017; 91:84-96. [PMID: 27594442 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Energy is a variable of key importance to a wide range of research in primate behavioral ecology, life history, and conservation. However, obtaining detailed data on variation in energetic condition, and its biological consequences, has been a considerable challenge. In the past 20years, tremendous strides have been made towards non-invasive methods for monitoring the physiology of animals in their natural environment. These methods provide detailed, individualized data about energetic condition, as well as energy allocations to growth, reproduction, and somatic health. In doing so, they add much-needed resolution by which to move beyond correlative studies to research programs that can discriminate causes from effects and disaggregate multiple correlated features of the social and physical environment. In this review, I describe the conceptual and methodological approaches for studying primate energetics. I then discuss the core questions about primate feeding ecology, social behavior, and life history that can benefit from physiological studies, highlighting the ways in which recent research has done so. Among these are studies that test, and often refute, common assumptions about how feeding ecology shapes primate biology, and those that reveal proximate associations between energetics and reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, MSC01-1040, 500 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque 87131, Mexico.
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12
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Emery Thompson M. Energetics of feeding, social behavior, and life history in non-human primates. Horm Behav 2017; 91:84-96. [PMID: 27594442 DOI: 10.10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Energy is a variable of key importance to a wide range of research in primate behavioral ecology, life history, and conservation. However, obtaining detailed data on variation in energetic condition, and its biological consequences, has been a considerable challenge. In the past 20years, tremendous strides have been made towards non-invasive methods for monitoring the physiology of animals in their natural environment. These methods provide detailed, individualized data about energetic condition, as well as energy allocations to growth, reproduction, and somatic health. In doing so, they add much-needed resolution by which to move beyond correlative studies to research programs that can discriminate causes from effects and disaggregate multiple correlated features of the social and physical environment. In this review, I describe the conceptual and methodological approaches for studying primate energetics. I then discuss the core questions about primate feeding ecology, social behavior, and life history that can benefit from physiological studies, highlighting the ways in which recent research has done so. Among these are studies that test, and often refute, common assumptions about how feeding ecology shapes primate biology, and those that reveal proximate associations between energetics and reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, MSC01-1040, 500 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque 87131, Mexico.
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13
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Dettmer AM, Murphy AM, Guitarra D, Slonecker E, Suomi SJ, Rosenberg KL, Novak MA, Meyer JS, Hinde K. Cortisol in Neonatal Mother's Milk Predicts Later Infant Social and Cognitive Functioning in Rhesus Monkeys. Child Dev 2017; 89:525-538. [PMID: 28369689 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Milk provides not only the building blocks for somatic development but also the hormonal signals that contribute to the biopsychological organization of the infant. Among mammals, glucocorticoids (GCs) in mother's milk have been associated with infant temperament. This study extended prior work to investigate rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) mother-infant dyads (N = 34) from birth through 8 months postpartum. Regression analysis revealed that cortisol concentrations in milk during the neonatal period predicted impulsivity on a cognitive task, but not global social behaviors, months later. During this time period, sex-differentiated social behavior emerged. For female infants, milk cortisol concentrations predicted total frequency of play. Collectively, these findings support and extend the "lactational programming" hypothesis on the impact of maternal-origin hormones ingested via milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Dettmer
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Ashley M Murphy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Denisse Guitarra
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Emily Slonecker
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Stephen J Suomi
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
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14
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Rifkin-Graboi A, Kong L, Sim LW, Sanmugam S, Broekman BFP, Chen H, Wong E, Kwek K, Saw SM, Chong YS, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Pederson D, Meaney MJ, Qiu A. Maternal sensitivity, infant limbic structure volume and functional connectivity: a preliminary study. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e668. [PMID: 26506054 PMCID: PMC4930120 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying the profound parental effects on cognitive, emotional and social development in humans remain poorly understood. Studies with nonhuman models suggest variations in parental care affect the limbic system, influential to learning, autobiography and emotional regulation. In some research, nonoptimal care relates to decreases in neurogenesis, although other work suggests early-postnatal social adversity accelerates the maturation of limbic structures associated with emotional learning. We explored whether maternal sensitivity predicts human limbic system development and functional connectivity patterns in a small sample of human infants. When infants were 6 months of age, 20 mother-infant dyads attended a laboratory-based observational session and the infants underwent neuroimaging at the same age. After considering age at imaging, household income and postnatal maternal anxiety, regression analyses demonstrated significant indirect associations between maternal sensitivity and bilateral hippocampal volume at six months, with the majority of associations between sensitivity and the amygdala demonstrating similar indirect, but not significant results. Moreover, functional analyses revealed direct associations between maternal sensitivity and connectivity between the hippocampus and areas important for emotional regulation and socio-emotional functioning. Sensitivity additionally predicted indirect associations between limbic structures and regions related to autobiographical memory. Our volumetric results are consistent with research indicating accelerated limbic development in response to early social adversity, and in combination with our functional results, if replicated in a larger sample, may suggest that subtle, but important, variations in maternal care influence neuroanatomical trajectories important to future cognitive and emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rifkin-Graboi
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore. E-mail:
| | - L Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Clinical Imaging Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - L W Sim
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - S Sanmugam
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - B F P Broekman
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - H Chen
- Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - E Wong
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - K Kwek
- Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - S-M Saw
- Department of Epidemiology, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Y-S Chong
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - P D Gluckman
- Human Development, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - M V Fortier
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - D Pederson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - M J Meaney
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Department of Neurosciences, Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - A Qiu
- Integrative Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Clinical Imaging Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore,Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Block EA #03-12, Singapore 117576, Singapore. E-mail:
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15
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TAYLOR JACKH, MUSTOE AARYNC, FRENCH JEFFREYA. Behavioral responses to social separation stressor change across development and are dynamically related to HPA activity in marmosets. Am J Primatol 2014; 76:239-48. [PMID: 24532179 PMCID: PMC5375030 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Revised: 09/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Psychosocial stressors activate two distinct stress-response systems, a central, behavioral response, and a peripheral, endocrine response. Both behavioral and endocrine responses to stressors are subject to individual and developmental variables, but it is not known whether stressor induced behaviors are stable across development, and how they correspond with changes in the endocrine component of the stress response. We characterized the development and stability of behavioral responses to a mild psychosocial stressor in marmosets (Callithrix geoffroyi), and assessed the degree to which the behavioral and endocrine stress-response systems were co-activated. The behavioral response to stressors was stable within individuals, but only some stressor-induced behaviors changed as the monkeys developed. Overall, there was more variability in the development of behavioral responses compared to stress-induced endocrine profiles found previously [French et al., 2012. Horm Behav 61:196-203]. In young marmosets, only increased alarm calling was correlated with increased cortisol reactivity, and in older marmosets increased cage manipulations and motor activity were associated with poorer post-stressor cortisol regulation. Because these relationships were so few, we conclude that while the behavioral and endocrine systems follow a similar developmental trajectory, each system maintains a level of independence. Furthermore, the relationship between stressor-induced behaviors and HPA activity changes across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- JACK H. TAYLOR
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska—Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
- Callitrichid Research Center, Department of Psychology, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - AARYN C. MUSTOE
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska—Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
- Callitrichid Research Center, Department of Psychology, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - JEFFREY A. FRENCH
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska—Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
- Callitrichid Research Center, Department of Psychology, Omaha, Nebraska
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska—Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
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16
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Vandeleest JJ, Capitanio JP. Birth timing and behavioral responsiveness predict individual differences in the mother-infant relationship and infant behavior during weaning and maternal breeding. Am J Primatol 2012; 74:734-46. [PMID: 24436198 PMCID: PMC3896920 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2011] [Revised: 12/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a great deal of variability in mother-infant interactions and infant behavior across the first year of life in rhesus monkeys. The current article has two specific aims: (1) to determine if birth timing predicts variability in the mother-infant relationship and infant behavior during weaning and maternal breeding, and (2) to identify predictors of infant behavior during a period of acute challenge, maternal breeding. Forty-one mother-infant pairs were observed during weaning when infants were 4.5 months old, and 33 were followed through maternal breeding. Subjective ratings of 16 adjectives reflecting qualities of maternal attitude, mother-infant interactions, and infant attitude were factor analyzed to construct factors relating to the mother-infant relationship (Relaxed and Aggressive) and infant behavior (Positive Engagement and Distress). During weaning, late born infants were more Positively Engaged than peak born infants (ANOVA, P < 0.05); however, birth timing did not affect the mother-infant relationship factors Relaxed and Aggressive or the infant attitude factor Distress. During maternal breeding, early born infants had less Relaxed relationships with their mothers than peak or late born infants, higher Positive Engagement scores than peak or late born infants, and tended to have higher Distress scores than peak born infants (repeated-measures ANOVA, P < 0.05). In addition, Distress scores were higher during maternal breeding than during the pre- and postbreeding phases. Finally, multiple regression (P < 0.05) indicated that while infant behavioral responsiveness predicted infant Positive Engagement during the acute challenge of maternal breeding, qualities of the mother-infant relationship predicted infant Distress. These data suggest that birth timing influences the patterns of mother-infant interactions during weaning and maternal breeding. Additionally, infant behavioral responsiveness and mother-infant relationship quality impact infant social engagement and affect expression, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J. Vandeleest
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| | - John P. Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
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17
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Parker KJ, Maestripieri D. Identifying key features of early stressful experiences that produce stress vulnerability and resilience in primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:1466-83. [PMID: 20851145 PMCID: PMC3023826 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2010] [Revised: 08/18/2010] [Accepted: 09/10/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This article examines the complex role of early stressful experiences in producing both vulnerability and resilience to later stress-related psychopathology in a variety of primate models of human development. Two types of models are reviewed: Parental Separation Models (e.g., isolate-rearing, peer-rearing, parental separations, and stress inoculation) and Maternal Behavior Models (e.g., foraging demands, variation in maternal style, and maternal abuse). Based on empirical evidence, it is argued that early life stress exposure does not increase adult vulnerability to stress-related psychopathology as a linear function, as is generally believed, but instead reflects a quadratic function. Features of early stress exposure including the type, duration, frequency, ecological validity, sensory modality, and developmental timing, within and between species, are identified to better understand how early stressful experiences alter neurobiological systems to produce such diverse developmental outcomes. This article concludes by identifying gaps in our current knowledge, providing directions for future research, and discussing the translational implications of these primate models for human development and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road MSLS P-104, Stanford, CA 94305-5485, USA.
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18
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Maestripieri D, Hoffman CL, Anderson GM, Carter CS, Higley JD. Mother-infant interactions in free-ranging rhesus macaques: relationships between physiological and behavioral variables. Physiol Behav 2009; 96:613-9. [PMID: 19150451 PMCID: PMC3955190 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2008] [Revised: 12/11/2008] [Accepted: 12/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Studies of mother-infant relationships in nonhuman primates have increasingly attempted to understand the neuroendocrine bases of interindividual variation in mothering styles and the mechanisms through which early exposure to variable mothering styles affects infant behavioral development. In this study of free-ranging rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, we aimed to: 1) compare lactating and nonlactating females to investigate whether lactation is associated with changes in plasma cortisol, prolactin and oxytocin, as well as changes in CSF levels of serotonin and dopamine metabolites (5-HIAA and HVA); 2) examine the extent to which interindividual variation in maternal physiology is associated with variation in maternal behavior; 3) examine the extent to which interindividual variation in infant physiology and behavior is accounted for by variation in maternal physiology and behavior. Lactating females had higher plasma concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, and oxytocin but lower CSF concentrations of HVA than nonlactating females. Variation in maternal rejection behavior was positively correlated with variation in maternal plasma cortisol levels and in CSF 5-HIAA levels while variation in the time spent nursing and grooming was associated with maternal plasma oxytocin levels. Infants who were protected more by their mothers had higher cortisol levels than those who were protected less, while infants who were rejected more had lower CSF 5-HIAA than infants who were rejected less. Since exposure to high levels of maternal protectiveness and rejection is known to affect the offspring's behavior and responsiveness to the environment later in life, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that these effects are mediated by long-term changes in the activity of the offspring's HPA axis and brain serotonergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Maestripieri
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, 5730 S.Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 USA.
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19
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Kinsley CH, Bardi M, Karelina K, Rima B, Christon L, Friedenberg J, Griffin G. Motherhood induces and maintains behavioral and neural plasticity across the lifespan in the rat. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2008; 37:43-56. [PMID: 18074214 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-007-9277-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Maternal behavior is multidimensional, encompassing many facets beyond the direct care of the young. Formerly unfamiliar activities are required of the mother. These include behaviors such as retrieving, grouping, crouching-over, and licking young, and protecting them against predators, together with enhancements in other behaviors, such as nest building, foraging, and aggression (inter/intra-species, predatory, etc.). When caring for young, the mother must strike a seemingly lose-lose bargain: leave the relative safety of the nest and her helpless offspring to forage for food and resources where predators await both mother and her vulnerable young, or remain entrenched and safe, thereby ensuring a slow and inexorable fate. Two predictions thus arise from this maternal cost-benefit ratio: first, there may be enhancements in behaviors on which the female relies, for example, predation and spatial ability, used for acquiring food and resources and for navigating her environment. Second, there may be reductions in the fear and anxiety inherent to the decision to leave the nest and to forage in an unforgiving environment where encounters with predators or reluctant/resistant prey await. There is overwhelming support for both hypotheses, with improvements in learning and memory accompanied by a diminution in stress responses and anxiety. The current review will examine the background for the phenomenon that is the maternal brain, and recent relevant data. In sum, the data indicate a remarkable set of changes that take place in the maternal (and, to a lesser extent, the paternal), brain, arguably, for the natural, simple but singular experience of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Howard Kinsley
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience (B-326/328), Gottwald Science Center, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA.
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20
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Tu MT, Grunau RE, Petrie-Thomas J, Haley DW, Weinberg J, Whitfield MF. Maternal stress and behavior modulate relationships between neonatal stress, attention, and basal cortisol at 8 months in preterm infants. Dev Psychobiol 2007; 49:150-64. [PMID: 17299787 PMCID: PMC1851900 DOI: 10.1002/dev.20204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence that the developmental trajectory of cortisol secretion in preterm infants is altered, with elevated basal cortisol levels observed postnatally through at least 18 months corrected age (CA). This alteration is possibly due to neonatal pain-related stress. High cortisol levels might contribute to greater risk of impaired neurodevelopment. Since maternal factors are important for the regulation of infant stress responses, we investigated relationships between infant (neonatal pain-related stress, attention, cortisol) and maternal (stress, interactive behaviors) factors at age 8 months CA. We found that interactive maternal behaviors buffered the relationship between high neonatal pain-related stress exposure and poorer focused attention in mothers who self-reported low concurrent stress. Furthermore, in preterm infants exposed to high concurrent maternal stress and overwhelming interactive maternal behaviors, higher basal cortisol levels were associated with poor focused attention. Overall, these findings suggest that maternal factors can influence the cognitive resilience at 8 months of preterm infants exposed to early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Thanh Tu
- Centre for Community Child Health Research Child and Family Research Institute Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, L408-4480 Oak Street Vancouver, V6H 3V4 Canada
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