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Rystrom TL, Richter SH, Sachser N, Kaiser S. Social niche shapes social behavior and cortisol concentrations during adolescence in female guinea pigs. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105539. [PMID: 38608380 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Individualized social niches arise in social groups, resulting in divergent social behavior profiles among group members. During sensitive life phases, the individualized social niche can profoundly impact the development of social behavior and associated phenotypes such as hormone (e.g. cortisol) concentrations. Focusing on adolescence, we investigated the relationship between the individualized social niche, social behavior, and cortisol concentrations (baseline and responsiveness) in female guinea pigs. Females were pair-housed in early adolescence (initial social pair formation), and a social niche transition was induced after six weeks by replacing the partner with either a larger or smaller female. Regarding social behavior, dominance status was associated with aggression in both the initial social pairs and after the social niche transition, and the results suggest that aggression was rapidly and completely reshaped after the social niche transition. Meanwhile, submissive behavior was rapidly reshaped after the social niche transition, but this was incomplete. The dominance status attained in the initial social pair affected the extent of submissive behavior after the social niche transition, and this effect was still detected three weeks after the social niche transition. Regarding cortisol concentrations, higher baseline cortisol concentrations were measured in dominant females in the initial social pairs. After the social niche transition, cortisol responsiveness significantly increased for the females paired with a larger, older female relative to those paired with a smaller, younger female. These findings demonstrate that the social niche during adolescence plays a significant role in shaping behavior and hormone concentrations in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor L Rystrom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Münster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Münster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Münster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Münster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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2
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Oztan O, Del Rosso LA, Simmons SM, Nguyen DKK, Talbot CF, Capitanio JP, Garner JP, Parker KJ. Naturally occurring low sociality in female rhesus monkeys: A tractable model for autism or not? Mol Autism 2024; 15:8. [PMID: 38291493 PMCID: PMC10829375 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00588-3] [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: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent social interaction impairments and is male-biased in prevalence. We have established naturally occurring low sociality in male rhesus monkeys as a model for the social features of ASD. Low-social male monkeys exhibit reduced social interactions and increased autistic-like trait burden, with both measures highly correlated and strongly linked to low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentration. Little is known, however, about the behavioral and neurochemical profiles of female rhesus monkeys, and whether low sociality in females is a tractable model for ASD. METHODS Social behavior assessments (ethological observations; a reverse-translated autistic trait measurement scale, the macaque Social Responsiveness Scale-Revised [mSRS-R]) were completed on N = 88 outdoor-housed female rhesus monkeys during the non-breeding season. CSF and blood samples were collected from a subset of N = 16 monkeys across the frequency distribution of non-social behavior, and AVP and oxytocin (OXT) concentrations were quantified. Data were analyzed using general linear models. RESULTS Non-social behavior frequency and mSRS-R scores were continuously distributed across the general female monkey population, as previously found for male monkeys. However, dominance rank significantly predicted mSRS-R scores in females, with higher-ranking individuals showing fewer autistic-like traits, a relationship not previously observed in males from this colony. Females differed from males in several other respects: Social behavior frequencies were unrelated to mSRS-R scores, and AVP concentration was unrelated to any social behavior measure. Blood and CSF concentrations of AVP were positively correlated in females; no significant relationship involving any OXT measure was found. LIMITATIONS This study sample was small, and did not consider genetic, environmental, or other neurochemical measures that may be related to female mSRS-R scores. CONCLUSIONS Dominance rank is the most significant predictor of autistic-like traits in female rhesus monkeys, and CSF neuropeptide concentrations are unrelated to measures of female social functioning (in contrast to prior CSF AVP findings in male rhesus monkeys and male and female autistic children). Although preliminary, this evidence suggests that the strong matrilineal organization of this species may limit the usefulness of low sociality in female rhesus monkeys as a tractable model for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozge Oztan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Rd., MSLS P-104, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Laura A Del Rosso
- California National Primate Research Center, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Sierra M Simmons
- California National Primate Research Center, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Duyen K K Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Rd., MSLS P-104, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Catherine F Talbot
- California National Primate Research Center, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- School of Psychology, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, 95616, USA
| | - Joseph P Garner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Rd., MSLS P-104, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Edwards R348, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Rd., MSLS P-104, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Edwards R348, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- California National Primate Research Center, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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3
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Zipple MN, Vogt CC, Sheehan MJ. Re-wilding model organisms: Opportunities to test causal mechanisms in social determinants of health and aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105238. [PMID: 37225063 PMCID: PMC10527394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Social experiences are strongly associated with individuals' health, aging, and survival in many mammalian taxa, including humans. Despite their role as models of many other physiological and developmental bases of health and aging, biomedical model organisms (particularly lab mice) remain an underutilized tool in resolving outstanding questions regarding social determinants of health and aging, including causality, context-dependence, reversibility, and effective interventions. This status is largely due to the constraints of standard laboratory conditions on animals' social lives. Even when kept in social housing, lab animals rarely experience social and physical environments that approach the richness, variability, and complexity they have evolved to navigate and benefit from. Here we argue that studying biomedical model organisms outside under complex, semi-natural social environments ("re-wilding") allows researchers to capture the methodological benefits of both field studies of wild animals and laboratory studies of model organisms. We review recent efforts to re-wild mice and highlight discoveries that have only been made possible by researchers studying mice under complex, manipulable social environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Zipple
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Caleb C Vogt
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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4
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Ford A, Kovacs-Balint ZA, Wang A, Feczko E, Earl E, Miranda-Domínguez Ó, Li L, Styner M, Fair D, Jones W, Bachevalier J, Sánchez MM. Functional maturation in visual pathways predicts attention to the eyes in infant rhesus macaques: Effects of social status. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101213. [PMID: 36774827 PMCID: PMC9925610 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in looking at the eyes of others are one of the earliest behavioral markers for social difficulties in neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism. However, it is unknown how early visuo-social experiences relate to the maturation of infant brain networks that process visual social stimuli. We investigated functional connectivity (FC) within the ventral visual object pathway as a contributing neural system. Densely sampled, longitudinal eye-tracking and resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected from infant rhesus macaques, an important model of human social development, from birth through 6 months of age. Mean trajectories were fit for both datasets and individual trajectories from subjects with both eye-tracking and rs-fMRI data were used to test for brain-behavior relationships. Exploratory findings showed infants with greater increases in FC between left V1 to V3 visual areas have an earlier increase in eye-looking before 2 months. This relationship was moderated by social status such that infants with low social status had a stronger association between left V1 to V3 connectivity and eye-looking than high status infants. Results indicated that maturation of the visual object pathway may provide an important neural substrate supporting adaptive transitions in social visual attention during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiden Ford
- Neuroscience Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Marcus Autism Center, USA.
| | | | - Arick Wang
- Emory Natl. Primate Res. Ctr., Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric Feczko
- Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Eric Earl
- Data Science and Sharing Team, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Óscar Miranda-Domínguez
- Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Longchuan Li
- Marcus Autism Center, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept. of Pediatrics, Emory University, Sch. of Med., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Martin Styner
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Damien Fair
- Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Warren Jones
- Marcus Autism Center, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept. of Pediatrics, Emory University, Sch. of Med., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Emory Natl. Primate Res. Ctr., Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mar M Sánchez
- Emory Natl. Primate Res. Ctr., Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept. Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory Univ., Sch. of Med., Atlanta, GA, USA
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5
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Truelove MA, Smith PO, Martin AL, Bloomsmith MA. Predictors of Long-Term Social Compatibility in Rhesus Macaques ( Macaca mulatta) Housed in Research Settings. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2022; 25:418-426. [PMID: 34670460 PMCID: PMC9836397 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1992768] [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] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Social housing improves the well-being of monkeys in research settings; however, little is known about factors influencing the long-term stability of established, full-contact pairs. Archival data were examined to determine whether sex, age, weight, duration pair housed, familiarity, social interruptions, room changes, or sedation events predicted eventual separation of pairs for social incompatibility (n = 80) or for nonsocial reasons (e.g., research or health needs) (n = 1143). Using a logistic regression model (Wald Χ2(8) = 42.325, p < .001), three significant factors were identified. Pairs in which partners had known prior familiarity in group housing were less likely to experience social incompatibility (p = .034). Pairs housed together longer (p < .001) and who staff had temporarily separated through the placement of a cage divider to reduce physical contact were more likely to require permanent separation for social incompatibility (p < .001); additional analysis revealed that dividers were often placed for social reasons, suggesting early signs of social instability. Findings may be useful for primate caregivers when making decisions about managing social partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Truelove
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Perrin O. Smith
- Department of Psychological Science, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Allison L. Martin
- Department of Psychological Science, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Mollie A. Bloomsmith
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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6
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Simons ND, Michopoulos V, Wilson M, Barreiro LB, Tung J. Agonism and grooming behaviour explain social status effects on physiology and gene regulation in rhesus macaques. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210132. [PMID: 35000435 PMCID: PMC8743879 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in social status predicts molecular, physiological and life-history outcomes across a broad range of species, including our own. Experimental studies indicate that some of these relationships persist even when the physical environment is held constant. Here, we draw on datasets from one such study-experimental manipulation of dominance rank in captive female rhesus macaques-to investigate how social status shapes the lived experience of these animals to alter gene regulation, glucocorticoid physiology and mitochondrial DNA phenotypes. We focus specifically on dominance rank-associated dimensions of the social environment, including both competitive and affiliative interactions. Our results show that simple summaries of rank-associated behavioural interactions are often better predictors of molecular and physiological outcomes than dominance rank itself. However, while measures of immune function are best explained by agonism rates, glucocorticoid-related phenotypes tend to be more closely linked to affiliative behaviour. We conclude that dominance rank serves as a useful summary for investigating social environmental effects on downstream outcomes. Nevertheless, the behavioural interactions that define an individual's daily experiences reveal the proximate drivers of social status-related differences and are especially relevant for understanding why individuals who share the same social status sometimes appear physiologically distinct. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah D. Simons
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mark Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Luis B. Barreiro
- Genetics Section, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1
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7
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Anderson JA, Lea AJ, Voyles TN, Akinyi MY, Nyakundi R, Ochola L, Omondi M, Nyundo F, Zhang Y, Campos FA, Alberts SC, Archie EA, Tung J. Distinct gene regulatory signatures of dominance rank and social bond strength in wild baboons. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200441. [PMID: 35000452 PMCID: PMC8743882 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The social environment is a major determinant of morbidity, mortality and Darwinian fitness in social animals. Recent studies have begun to uncover the molecular processes associated with these relationships, but the degree to which they vary across different dimensions of the social environment remains unclear. Here, we draw on a long-term field study of wild baboons to compare the signatures of affiliative and competitive aspects of the social environment in white blood cell gene regulation, under both immune-stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. We find that the effects of dominance rank on gene expression are directionally opposite in males versus females, such that high-ranking males resemble low-ranking females, and vice versa. Among females, rank and social bond strength are both reflected in the activity of cellular metabolism and proliferation genes. However, while we observe pronounced rank-related differences in baseline immune gene activity, only bond strength predicts the fold-change response to immune (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Together, our results indicate that the directionality and magnitude of social effects on gene regulation depend on the aspect of the social environment under study. This heterogeneity may help explain why social environmental effects on health and longevity can also vary between measures. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Amanda J. Lea
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Carl Icahn Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Tawni N. Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Mercy Y. Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Ruth Nyakundi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Lucy Ochola
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Martin Omondi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Fred Nyundo
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Fernando A. Campos
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1
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8
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Gazes RP, Schrock AE, Leard CN, Lutz MC. Dominance and social interaction patterns in brown capuchin monkey (Cebus [Sapajus] apella) social networks. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23365. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Regina Paxton Gazes
- Program in Animal Behavior Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
- Department of Psychology Bucknell University Lewisburg Lewisburg USA
| | - Allie E. Schrock
- Program in Animal Behavior Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
| | - Corinne N. Leard
- Program in Animal Behavior Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
| | - Meredith C. Lutz
- Program in Animal Behavior Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
- Department of Mathematics Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group University of California Davis California USA
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9
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Wooddell LJ, Beisner BA, Nathman AC, Day A, Cameron A, Pomerantz O, McCowan B. Sex Differences in Hierarchical Stability in a Formation of a Mixed-sex Group of Rhesus Macaques. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2022; 61:67-74. [PMID: 34903314 PMCID: PMC8786381 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-21-000067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Forming groups of captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is a common management practice. New formations of unfamiliar macaques can be costly, with high levels of trauma, particularly as intense aggression is used to establish a dominance hierarchy. Combining previous subgroups into one new group may be beneficial, as some individuals already have established dominance relationships. We tested this hypothesis by forming a new mixed-sex group of rhesus macaques that combined an established group of females with an established group of males. Prior to the mixed-sex group formation, both the female and male hierarchies had been stable for 3 y; after mixed-sex group formation these hierarchies were maintained by the females and were initially maintained by the males for 3 wks. However, the temporary hospitalization (due to a laceration caused by aggression) of the alpha male destabilized the male hierarchy. Age and weight then predicted male rank. Temporary hospitalizations resulted in rank changes for the males, evidenced by reversals in subordination signals. This study indicates that using established groups of familiar individuals may maintain female hierarchical stability in a mixedsex group formation, but further research is needed to understand how to maintain and predict male hierarchical stability to reduce trauma. Improved knowledge of hierarchical stability would be invaluable to managers of large rhesus macaque groups and would help improve the welfare of captive rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Wooddell
- Colony Management Department, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Lawrenceville, Georgia
| | - Brianne A Beisner
- Colony Management Department, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Lawrenceville, Georgia
| | - Amy C Nathman
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Ashleigh Day
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Ashley Cameron
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Ori Pomerantz
- Population Behavioral Health Services, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Brenda McCowan
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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10
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Gareta García M, Farine DR, Brachotte C, Borgeaud C, Bshary R. Wild female vervet monkeys change grooming patterns and partners when freed from feeding constraints. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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11
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Ciminelli G, Martin MS, Swaisgood RR, Zhang G, Guo L, Owen MA. Social distancing: High population density increases cub rejection and decreases maternal care in the giant panda. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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12
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DeTroy SE, Haun DBM, van Leeuwen EJC. What isn't social tolerance? The past, present, and possible future of an overused term in the field of primatology. Evol Anthropol 2021; 31:30-44. [PMID: 34460130 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In the past four decades, the term social tolerance has been utilized to describe, explain, and predict many different aspects of primates' sociality and has been measured with a large range of traits and behaviors. To date, however, there has been little discussion on whether these different phenomena all reflect one and the same construct. This paper opens the discussion by presenting the historical development of the term social tolerance and a structured overview of its current, overextended use. We argue that social tolerance has developed to describe two distinct concepts: social tolerance as the social structure of a group and social tolerance as the dyadic or group-level manifestation of tolerant behaviors. We highlight how these two concepts are based on conflicting theoretical understandings and practical assessments. In conclusion, we present suggestions for future research on primate social tolerance, which will allow for a more systematic and comparable investigation of primate sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E DeTroy
- Department for Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig Research Centre for Early Child Development & Department for Early Child Development and Culture, Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel B M Haun
- Department for Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig Research Centre for Early Child Development & Department for Early Child Development and Culture, Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edwin J C van Leeuwen
- Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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13
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Crisp RJ, Brent LJN, Carter GG. Social dominance and cooperation in female vampire bats. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210266. [PMID: 34295524 PMCID: PMC8261227 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
When group-living animals develop individualized social relationships, they often regulate cooperation and conflict through a dominance hierarchy. Female common vampire bats have been an experimental system for studying cooperative relationships, yet surprisingly little is known about female conflict. Here, we recorded the outcomes of 1023 competitive interactions over food provided ad libitum in a captive colony of 33 vampire bats (24 adult females and their young). We found a weakly linear dominance hierarchy using three common metrics (Landau's h' measure of linearity, triangle transitivity and directional consistency). However, patterns of female dominance were less structured than in many other group-living mammals. Female social rank was not clearly predicted by body size, age, nor reproductive status, and competitive interactions were not correlated with kinship, grooming nor food sharing. We therefore found no evidence that females groomed or shared food up a hierarchy or that differences in rank explained asymmetries in grooming or food sharing. A possible explanation for such apparently egalitarian relationships among female vampire bats is the scale of competition. Female vampire bats that are frequent roostmates might not often directly compete for food in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J. Crisp
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Lauren J. N. Brent
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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14
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Muller MN, Enigk DK, Fox SA, Lucore J, Machanda ZP, Wrangham RW, Emery Thompson M. Aggression, glucocorticoids, and the chronic costs of status competition for wild male chimpanzees. Horm Behav 2021; 130:104965. [PMID: 33676127 PMCID: PMC8043126 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Across vertebrates, high social status affords preferential access to resources, and is expected to correlate positively with health and longevity. Increasing evidence, however, suggests that although dominant females generally enjoy reduced exposure to physiological and psychosocial stressors, dominant males do not. Here we test the hypothesis that costly mating competition by high-ranking males results in chronic, potentially harmful elevations in glucocorticoid production. We examined urinary glucocorticoids (n = 8029 samples) in a 20-year longitudinal study of wild male chimpanzees (n = 20 adults) in the Kanyawara community of Kibale National Park, Uganda. We tested whether glucocorticoid production was associated with dominance rank in the long term, and with mating competition and dominance instability in the short term. Using mixed models, we found that both male aggression and glucocorticoid excretion increased when the dominance hierarchy was unstable, and when parous females were sexually available. Glucocorticoid excretion was positively associated with male rank in stable and unstable hierarchies, and in mating and non-mating contexts. Glucorticoids increased with both giving and receiving aggression, but giving aggression was the primary mechanism linking elevated glucocorticoids with high rank. Glucocorticoids also increased with age. Together these results show that investment in male-male competition increases cumulative exposure to glucocorticoids, suggesting a long-term tradeoff with health that may constrain the ability to maintain high status across the life course. Our data suggest that the relationship between social rank and glucocorticoid production often differs in males and females owing to sex differences in the operation of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin N Muller
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, United States of America.
| | - Drew K Enigk
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Stephanie A Fox
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Jordan Lucore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, United States of America
| | - Zarin P Machanda
- Department of Anthropology, Tufts University, United States of America
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, United States of America
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15
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Mielke A, Bruchmann C, Schülke O, Ostner J. Grooming interventions in female rhesus macaques as social niche construction. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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16
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17
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Guerrero TP, Fickel J, Benhaiem S, Weyrich A. Epigenomics and gene regulation in mammalian social systems. Curr Zool 2020; 66:307-319. [PMID: 32440291 PMCID: PMC7233906 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior. We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions (GEIs) and epigenetic mechanisms in different mammalian social systems. To illustrate how epigenetic mechanisms integrate GEIs, we highlight examples where epigenetic mechanisms are associated with social behaviors and with their maintenance through neuroendocrine, locomotor, and metabolic responses. We discuss future research trajectories and open questions for the emerging field of social epigenomics in nonmodel and naturally occurring social systems. Finally, we outline the technological advances that aid the study of epigenetic mechanisms in the establishment of GEIs and vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania P Guerrero
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, Freiburg, D-79085, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weyrich
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
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18
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Snyder-Mackler N, Burger JR, Gaydosh L, Belsky DW, Noppert GA, Campos FA, Bartolomucci A, Yang YC, Aiello AE, O'Rand A, Harris KM, Shively CA, Alberts SC, Tung J. Social determinants of health and survival in humans and other animals. Science 2020; 368:eaax9553. [PMID: 32439765 PMCID: PMC7398600 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax9553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The social environment, both in early life and adulthood, is one of the strongest predictors of morbidity and mortality risk in humans. Evidence from long-term studies of other social mammals indicates that this relationship is similar across many species. In addition, experimental studies show that social interactions can causally alter animal physiology, disease risk, and life span itself. These findings highlight the importance of the social environment to health and mortality as well as Darwinian fitness-outcomes of interest to social scientists and biologists alike. They thus emphasize the utility of cross-species analysis for understanding the predictors of, and mechanisms underlying, social gradients in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Joseph Robert Burger
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Lauren Gaydosh
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Center for Medicine, Health, and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Grace A Noppert
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Population Health and Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fernando A Campos
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Alessandro Bartolomucci
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Yang Claire Yang
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Allison E Aiello
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Angela O'Rand
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Population Health and Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kathleen Mullan Harris
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carol A Shively
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Comparative Medicine Section, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Population Health and Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jenny Tung
- Social and Biological Determinants of Health Working Group, NC, USA.
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Population Health and Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
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19
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Hemelrijk CK, Wubs M, Gort G, Botting J, van de Waal E. Dynamics of Intersexual Dominance and Adult Sex- Ratio in Wild Vervet Monkeys. Front Psychol 2020; 11:839. [PMID: 32477214 PMCID: PMC7240123 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intersexual dominance relations are important for female mammals, because of their consequences for accessing food and for the degree of sexual control females experience from males. Female mammals are usually considered to rank below males in the dominance hierarchy, because of their typical physical inferiority. Yet, in some groups or species, females are nonetheless dominant over some males (partial female dominance). Intersexual dominance, therefore, also depends on traits other than sexual dimorphism, such as social support, social exchange, group adult sex-ratio, and the widespread self-reinforcing effects of winning and losing fights, the "winner-loser effect." The importance of sex-ratio and the winner-loser effect remains poorly understood. A theoretical model, DomWorld, predicts that in groups with a higher proportion of males, females are dominant over more males when aggression is fierce (not mild). The model is based on a small number of general processes in mammals, such as grouping, aggression, the winner-loser effect, the initially greater fighting capacity of males than females, and sex ratio. We expect its predictions to be general and suggest they be examined in a great number of species and taxa. Here, we test these predictions in four groups of wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in Mawana game reserve in Africa, using 7 years of data. We confirm that a higher proportion of males in the group is associated with greater dominance of females over males; a result that remains when combining these data with those of two other sites (Amboseli and Samara). We additionally confirm that in groups with a higher fraction of males there is a relatively higher (a) proportion of fights of males with other males, and (b) proportion of fights won by females against males from the fights of females with any adults. We reject alternative hypotheses that more dominance of females over males could be attributed to females receiving more coalitions from males, or females receiving lowered male aggression in exchange for sexual access (the docile male hypothesis). We conclude that female dominance relative to males is dynamic and that future empirical studies of inter-sexual dominance will benefit by considering the adult sex-ratio of groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Wubs
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Gerrit Gort
- Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Botting
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Erica van de Waal
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game Reserve, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
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20
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Wooddell LJ, Kaburu SSK, Dettmer AM. Dominance rank predicts social network position across developmental stages in rhesus monkeys. Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23024. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J. Wooddell
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development National Institutes of Health Poolesville Maryland
- Neuroscience and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center University of California Davis California
| | - Stefano S. K. Kaburu
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development National Institutes of Health Poolesville Maryland
- Department of Biomedical Science & Physiology, Faculty of Science and Engineering University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton UK
| | - Amanda M. Dettmer
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development National Institutes of Health Poolesville Maryland
- Yale Child Study Center Yale School of Medicine New Haven Connecticut
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21
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Wooddell LJ, Simpson EA, Murphy AM, Dettmer AM, Paukner A. Interindividual differences in neonatal sociality and emotionality predict juvenile social status in rhesus monkeys. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12749. [PMID: 30171780 PMCID: PMC10519424 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In humans, socioeconomic status (SES) has profound outcomes on socio-emotional development and health. However, while much is known about the consequences of SES, little research has examined the predictors of SES due to the longitudinal nature of such studies. We sought to explore whether interindividual differences in neonatal sociality, temperament, and early social experiences predicted juvenile social status in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), as a proxy for SES in humans. We performed neonatal imitation tests in infants' first week of life and emotional reactivity assessments at 2 and 4 weeks of age. We examined whether these traits, as well as the rearing environment in the first 8 months of life (with the mother or with same-aged peers only) and maternal social status predicted juvenile (2-3 years old) social status following the formation of peer social groups at 8 months. We found that infants who exhibited higher rates of neonatal imitation and newborn emotional reactivity achieved higher social status as juveniles, as did infants who were reared with their mothers, compared to infants reared with peers. Maternal social status was only associated with juvenile status for infant dyads reared in the same maternal group, indicating that relative social relationships were transferred through social experience. These results suggest that neonatal imitation and emotional reactivity may reflect ingrained predispositions toward sociality that predict later outcomes, and that nonnormative social experiences can alter socio-developmental trajectories. Our results indicate that neonatal characteristics and early social experiences predict later social outcomes in adolescence, including gradients of social stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J. Wooddell
- Neuroscience and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | | | - Ashley M. Murphy
- Neuroscience and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Amanda M. Dettmer
- U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, American Psychological Association, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Annika Paukner
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, Maryland
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22
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Lea AJ, Akinyi MY, Nyakundi R, Mareri P, Nyundo F, Kariuki T, Alberts SC, Archie EA, Tung J. Dominance rank-associated gene expression is widespread, sex-specific, and a precursor to high social status in wild male baboons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E12163-E12171. [PMID: 30538194 PMCID: PMC6310778 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811967115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans and other hierarchical species, social status is tightly linked to variation in health and fitness-related traits. Experimental manipulations of social status in female rhesus macaques suggest that this relationship is partially explained by status effects on immune gene regulation. However, social hierarchies are established and maintained in different ways across species: While some are based on kin-directed nepotism, others emerge from direct physical competition. We investigated how this variation influences the relationship between social status and immune gene regulation in wild baboons, where hierarchies in males are based on fighting ability but female hierarchies are nepotistic. We measured rank-related variation in gene expression levels in adult baboons of both sexes at baseline and in response to ex vivo stimulation with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We identified >2,000 rank-associated genes in males, an order of magnitude more than in females. In males, high status predicted increased expression of genes involved in innate immunity and preferential activation of the NF-κB-mediated proinflammatory pathway, a pattern previously associated with low status in female rhesus macaques. Using Mendelian randomization, we reconcile these observations by demonstrating that high status-associated gene expression patterns are precursors, not consequences, of high social status in males, in support of the idea that physiological condition determines who attains high rank. Together, our work provides a test of the relationship between social status and immune gene regulation in wild primates. It also emphasizes the importance of social context in shaping the relationship between social status and immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708;
| | - Mercy Y Akinyi
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Ruth Nyakundi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Peter Mareri
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Fred Nyundo
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Thomas Kariuki
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708;
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
- Duke University Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
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Cundiff JM, Jennings JR, Matthews KA. Social Stratification and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: Examination of Emotional Suppression as a Pathway to Risk. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2018; 45:1202-1215. [PMID: 30526318 DOI: 10.1177/0146167218808504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This article examines whether emotional suppression is associated with socioeconomic position (SEP) in a community sample of Black and White men, and whether emotional suppression may help explain the aggregation of multiple biopsychosocial risk factors for cardiovascular disease at lower SEP (social support, depression, cardiovascular stress reactivity). Aim 1 tests whether multiple indicators of SEP show a consistent graded association with self-reported trait suppression, and whether suppression mediates associations between SEP and perceived social support and depressive affect. Aim 2 tests whether suppression during a laboratory anger recall task mediates associations between SEP and cardiovascular reactivity to the task. All measures of higher SEP were associated with lower suppression. Findings in this racially diverse sample of adult men suggest that socioeconomic disparities in emotional suppression may be more likely to confer cardiovascular risk through disruption of affect and social relationships, than through direct and immediate physiological pathways.
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24
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Sanhueza N, Donoso A, Aguilar A, Farlora R, Carnicero B, Míguez JM, Tort L, Valdes JA, Boltana S. Thermal Modulation of Monoamine Levels Influence Fish Stress and Welfare. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:717. [PMID: 30559717 PMCID: PMC6287116 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish are ectotherm organisms that move through different thermal zones according to their physiological requirements and environmental availability, a behavior known as thermoregulation. Thermoregulation in ectothermic animals is influenced by their ability to effectively respond to thermal variations. While it is known that ectotherms are affected by thermal changes, it remains unknown how physiological and/or metabolic traits are impacted by modifications in the thermal environment. In captivity (land-based infrastructures or nets located in the open sea), fish are often restricted to spatially constant temperature conditions within the containment unit and cannot choose among different thermal conditions for thermoregulation. In order to understand how spatial variation of temperature may affect fish welfare and stress, we designed an experiment using either restricted or wide thermal ranges, looking for changes at hormonal and molecular levels. Also, thermal variability impact on fish behavior was measured. Our results showed that in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), a wide thermal range (ΔT 6.8°C) was associated with significant increases in monoamines hormone levels and in the expression of clock genes. Aggressive and territoriality behavior decreased, positively affecting parameters linked to welfare, such as growth and fin damage. In contrast, a restricted thermal range (ΔT 1.4°C) showed the opposite pattern in all the analyzed parameters, therefore, having detrimental effects on welfare. In conclusion, our results highlight the key role of thermal range amplitude on fish behavior and on interactions with major metabolism-regulating processes, such as hormone performance and molecular regulatory mechanisms that have positive effects on the welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Sanhueza
- Department of Oceanography, Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Andrea Donoso
- Department of Oceanography, Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Andrea Aguilar
- Department of Oceanography, Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rodolfo Farlora
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Beatriz Carnicero
- Department of Oceanography, Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jesús Manuel Míguez
- Laboratorio de Fisioloxía Animal, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Lluis Tort
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Inmunología i Fisiologia Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Valdes
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Boltana
- Department of Oceanography, Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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25
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Kaburu SSK, Marty PR, Beisner B, Balasubramaniam KN, Bliss-Moreau E, Kaur K, Mohan L, McCowan B. Rates of human-macaque interactions affect grooming behavior among urban-dwelling rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168:92-103. [PMID: 30368773 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The impact of anthropogenic environmental changes may impose strong pressures on the behavioral flexibility of free-ranging animals. Here, we examine whether rates of interactions with humans had both a direct and indirect influence on the duration and distribution of social grooming in commensal rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were collected in two locations in the city of Shimla in northern India: an urban setting and a temple area. We divided these two locations in a series of similar-sized physical blocks (N = 48) with varying rates of human-macaque interactions. We conducted focal observations on three free-ranging rhesus macaque groups, one in the urban area and two in the temple area. RESULTS Our analysis shows that macaques engaged in shorter grooming bouts and were more vigilant while grooming in focal sessions during which they interacted with people more frequently, suggesting that humans directly affected grooming effort and vigilance behavior. Furthermore, we found that in blocks characterized by higher rates of human-macaque interactions grooming bouts were shorter, more frequently interrupted by vigilance behavior, and were less frequently reciprocated. DISCUSSION Our work shows that the rates of human-macaque interaction had both a direct and indirect impact on grooming behavior and that macaques flexibly modified their grooming interactions in relation to the rates of human-macaque interaction to which they were exposed. Because grooming has important social and hygienic functions in nonhuman primates, our work suggests that human presence can have important implications for animal health, social relationships and, ultimately, fitness. Our results point to the need of areas away from people even for highly adaptable species where they can engage in social interactions without human disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano S K Kaburu
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Biomedical Science & Physiology, Faculty of Science & Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Pascal R Marty
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Brianne Beisner
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Krishna N Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Kawaljit Kaur
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Lalit Mohan
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
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26
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Wu CF, Liao ZJ, Sueur C, Sha JCM, Zhang J, Zhang P. The influence of kinship and dominance hierarchy on grooming partner choice in free-ranging Macaca mulatta brevicaudus. Primates 2018; 59:377-384. [PMID: 29671163 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0662-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In group-living animals, individuals do not interact uniformly with their conspecifics. Among primates, such heterogeneity in partner choice can be discerned from affiliative grooming patterns. While the preference for selecting close kin as grooming partners is ubiquitous across the primate order, the selection of higher-ranking non-kin individuals as grooming partners is less common. We studied a group of provisioned rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta brevicaudus) on Hainan Island, China, to examine rank-related benefits of grooming exchanges and the influence of kin relationships. We tested four hypotheses based on Seyfarth's model: (1) there will be kin preference in grooming relationships; (2) grooming between non-kin individuals will be directed up the dominance rank; (3) grooming between non-kin individuals will reduce aggression from higher-ranking ones; and (4) non-kin individuals will spend more time grooming with adjacent ranked ones. We found that grooming relationships between kin individuals were stronger than those between non-kin individuals. For non-kin relationships, lower-ranking individuals received less aggression from higher-ranking ones through grooming; a benefit they could not derive through grooming exchanges with individuals related by kinship. Individuals spent more time grooming adjacent higher-ranking non-kin individuals and higher-ranking individuals also received more grooming from non-kin individuals. Our results supported Seyfarth's model for predicting partner choice between non-kin individuals. For relationships between kin individuals, we found results that were not consistent with prediction for the exchanges of aggression and grooming, indicating the importance to control for the influence of kinship in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Feng Wu
- Martin Hall, Anthropology Department, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.,Provincial Key Laboratory of Human Evolution and Archaeometry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Liao
- College of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Cedric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - John Chih Mun Sha
- Martin Hall, Anthropology Department, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Nanwan Monkey Islet, Lingshui Town, 572426, Hainan, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Martin Hall, Anthropology Department, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China. .,Provincial Key Laboratory of Human Evolution and Archaeometry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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27
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Sánchez-Tójar A, Schroeder J, Farine DR. A practical guide for inferring reliable dominance hierarchies and estimating their uncertainty. J Anim Ecol 2017; 87:594-608. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar
- Evolutionary Biology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Evolutionary Biology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
| | - Damien Roger Farine
- Department of Collective Behaviour; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Konstanz Germany
- Chair of Biodiversity and Collective Behaviour; Department of Biology; University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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28
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Fiorito G, Polidoro S, Dugué PA, Kivimaki M, Ponzi E, Matullo G, Guarrera S, Assumma MB, Georgiadis P, Kyrtopoulos SA, Krogh V, Palli D, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Chadeau-Hyam M, Stringhini S, Severi G, Hodge AM, Giles GG, Marioni R, Karlsson Linnér R, O'Halloran AM, Kenny RA, Layte R, Baglietto L, Robinson O, McCrory C, Milne RL, Vineis P. Social adversity and epigenetic aging: a multi-cohort study on socioeconomic differences in peripheral blood DNA methylation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16266. [PMID: 29176660 PMCID: PMC5701128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16391-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with earlier onset of age-related chronic conditions and reduced life-expectancy, but the underlying biomolecular mechanisms remain unclear. Evidence of DNA-methylation differences by SES suggests a possible association of SES with epigenetic age acceleration (AA). We investigated the association of SES with AA in more than 5,000 individuals belonging to three independent prospective cohorts from Italy, Australia, and Ireland. Low SES was associated with greater AA (β = 0.99 years; 95% CI 0.39,1.59; p = 0.002; comparing extreme categories). The results were consistent across different SES indicators. The associations were only partially modulated by the unhealthy lifestyle habits of individuals with lower SES. Individuals who experienced life-course SES improvement had intermediate AA compared to extreme SES categories, suggesting reversibility of the effect and supporting the relative importance of the early childhood social environment. Socioeconomic adversity is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging, implicating biomolecular mechanisms that may link SES to age-related diseases and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Fiorito
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences - University of Turin, C.So, Dogliotti, 14 - 10126, Italy
| | - Silvia Polidoro
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Pierre-Antoine Dugué
- Cancer Epidemiology & Intelligence Division, Cancer Council of Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Mika Kivimaki
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health - University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Erica Ponzi
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Matullo
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences - University of Turin, C.So, Dogliotti, 14 - 10126, Italy
| | - Simonetta Guarrera
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences - University of Turin, C.So, Dogliotti, 14 - 10126, Italy
| | - Manuela B Assumma
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Department of Medical Sciences - University of Turin, C.So, Dogliotti, 14 - 10126, Italy
| | - Panagiotis Georgiadis
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Leof. Vasileos Konstantinou 48, Athens, 116 35, Greece
| | - Soterios A Kyrtopoulos
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Leof. Vasileos Konstantinou 48, Athens, 116 35, Greece
| | - Vittorio Krogh
- Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Palli
- Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Via Cosimo Il Vecchio, 2, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - Salvatore Panico
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 40, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlotta Sacerdote
- Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Via Santena 7, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Tumino
- Cancer Registry and Histopathology Department, 'Civic - M. P. Arezzo' Hospital, ASP Ragusa, Piazza Igea, 1, 97100, Ragusa, Italy
| | - Marc Chadeau-Hyam
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus Paddington, W2 1PG, London, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gianluca Severi
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Inserm U1018, Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Gustave Roussy Institute, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Allison M Hodge
- Cancer Epidemiology & Intelligence Division, Cancer Council of Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Graham G Giles
- Cancer Epidemiology & Intelligence Division, Cancer Council of Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Riccardo Marioni
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine - University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road, EH4 2XU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Karlsson Linnér
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, 1085-1087 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Laura Baglietto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, 43, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Oliver Robinson
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus Paddington, W2 1PG, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Roger L Milne
- Cancer Epidemiology & Intelligence Division, Cancer Council of Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Paolo Vineis
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM, former HuGeF), Via Nizza 52 -, 10126, Turin, Italy. .,MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus Paddington, W2 1PG, London, United Kingdom.
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29
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Wooddell LJ, Kaburu SS, Murphy AM, Suomi SJ, Dettmer AM. Rank acquisition in rhesus macaque yearlings following permanent maternal separation: The importance of the social and physical environment. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:863-875. [PMID: 28833057 PMCID: PMC5630511 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Rank acquisition is a developmental milestone for young primates, but the processes by which primate yearlings attain social rank in the absence of the mother remain unclear. We studied 18 maternally reared yearling rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that differed in their social and physical rearing environments. We found that early social experience and maternal rank, but not individual traits (weight, sex, age), predicted dominance acquisition in the new peer-only social group. Yearlings also used coalitions to reinforce the hierarchy, and social affiliation (play and grooming) was likely a product, rather than a determinant, of rank acquisition. Following relocation to a familiar environment, significant rank changes occurred indicating that familiarity with a physical environment was salient in rank acquisition. Our results add to the growing body of literature emphasizing the role of the social and physical environment on behavioral development, namely social asymmetries among peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J. Wooddell
- Neuroscience and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, 95616 USA
| | - Stefano S.K. Kaburu
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, 95616 USA
| | - Ashley M. Murphy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, Maryland, 20837 USA
| | - Stephen J. Suomi
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, Maryland, 20837 USA
| | - Amanda M. Dettmer
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, Maryland, 20837 USA
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30
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Coplan JD, Gupta NK, Karim A, Rozenboym A, Smith ELP, Kral JG, Rosenblum LA. Maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to foraging uncertainty: A model of individual vs. social allostasis and the "Superorganism Hypothesis". PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184340. [PMID: 28880949 PMCID: PMC5589238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Food insecurity is a major global contributor to developmental origins of adult disease. The allostatic load of maternal food uncertainty from variable foraging demand (VFD) activates corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) without eliciting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activation measured on a group level. Individual homeostatic adaptations of the HPA axis may subserve second-order homeostasis, a process we provisionally term "social allostasis." We postulate that maternal food insecurity induces a "superorganism" state through coordination of individual HPA axis response. METHODS Twenty-four socially-housed bonnet macaque maternal-infant dyads were exposed to 16 weeks of alternating two-week epochs of low or high foraging demand shown to compromise normative maternal-infant rearing. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CRF concentrations and plasma cortisol were measured pre- and post-VFD. Dyadic distance was measured, and blinded observers performed pre-VFD social ranking assessments. RESULTS Despite marked individual cortisol responses (mean change = 20%) there was an absence of maternal HPA axis group mean response to VFD (0%). Whereas individual CSF CRF concentrations change = 56%, group mean did increase 25% (p = 0.002). Our "dyadic vulnerability" index (low infant weight, low maternal weight, subordinate maternal social status and reduced dyadic distance) predicted maternal cortisol decreases (p < 0.0001) whereas relatively "advantaged" dyads exhibited maternal cortisol increases in response to VFD exposure. COMMENT In response to a chronic stressor, relative dyadic vulnerability plays a significant role in determining the directionality and magnitude of individual maternal HPA axis responses in the service of maintaining a "superorganism" version of HPA axis homeostasis, provisionally termed "social allostasis."
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D. Coplan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Biological Science Unit, State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Nishant K. Gupta
- College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Asif Karim
- College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Anna Rozenboym
- Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Eric L. P. Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Biological Science Unit, State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - John G. Kral
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Surgery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
| | - Leonard A. Rosenblum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Biological Science Unit, State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
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31
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Pomerantz O, Baker KC. Higher levels of submissive behaviors at the onset of the pairing process of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are associated with lower risk of wounding following introduction. Am J Primatol 2017; 79:10.1002/ajp.22671. [PMID: 28431190 PMCID: PMC5513769 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Social housing of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is considered to be the cornerstone of behavioral management programs in biomedical facilities. However, it also involves the risk of socially inflicted trauma. The ability to avoid such trauma would contribute to the animals' well-being and alleviate staff's concerns, thus paving the path for more introductions. Here, we sought to address the conflict between the need to socially house rhesus macaques and the need to bring social wounding to a minimum by identifying behaviors expressed early in social introductions, that may serve as predictors of later wounding events. We employed logistic regression analysis to predict the occurrence of wounding for 39 iso-sexual, adult pairs in the 30 days following the introduction into full contact using the levels of behaviors that were observed at the onset of the introduction. The results show that the levels of submissive behaviors were the only significant predictor to later stage wounding. Higher levels of submissive behaviors expressed during the early phases of the introduction were associated with a decreased likelihood of wounding. Interestingly, levels of affiliative behaviors have not added any power to the predictability of the statistical model. Therefore, it may be suggested that the exchange of submissive signals at the earliest stages of the introduction is critical in the determination of relative rank and preclude the need to establish dominance via aggression when allowed full contact. While the observation of clear-cut dominance relationships is commonly considered a harbinger of success, our findings suggest that it is the acknowledgment of subordination, rather than the expression of dominance that underlies this observed pattern. The value of our findings for guiding social housing decision-making may be strongest in situations in which the composition of potential partners is constrained, and therefore requiring that wise decisions be relied upon early behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ori Pomerantz
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana
| | - Kate C Baker
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana
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32
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Snyder-Mackler N, Sanz J, Kohn JN, Brinkworth JF, Morrow S, Shaver AO, Grenier JC, Pique-Regi R, Johnson ZP, Wilson ME, Barreiro LB, Tung J. Social status alters immune regulation and response to infection in macaques. Science 2017; 354:1041-1045. [PMID: 27885030 DOI: 10.1126/science.aah3580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Social status is one of the strongest predictors of human disease risk and mortality, and it also influences Darwinian fitness in social mammals more generally. To understand the biological basis of these effects, we combined genomics with a social status manipulation in female rhesus macaques to investigate how status alters immune function. We demonstrate causal but largely plastic social status effects on immune cell proportions, cell type-specific gene expression levels, and the gene expression response to immune challenge. Further, we identify specific transcription factor signaling pathways that explain these differences, including low-status-associated polarization of the Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway toward a proinflammatory response. Our findings provide insight into the direct biological effects of social inequality on immune function, thus improving our understanding of social gradients in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Joaquín Sanz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec H3T1J4, Canada.,Department of Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Quebec H3T1C5, Canada
| | - Jordan N Kohn
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jessica F Brinkworth
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec H3T1J4, Canada.,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shauna Morrow
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Amanda O Shaver
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Grenier
- Department of Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Quebec H3T1C5, Canada
| | - Roger Pique-Regi
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Zachary P Johnson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mark E Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Quebec H3T1C5, Canada. .,Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec H3T1J4, Canada
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA. .,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya.,Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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33
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Scheiber IBR, Weiß BM, Kingma SA, Komdeur J. The importance of the altricial - precocial spectrum for social complexity in mammals and birds - a review. Front Zool 2017; 14:3. [PMID: 28115975 PMCID: PMC5242088 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0185-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Various types of long-term stable relationships that individuals uphold, including cooperation and competition between group members, define social complexity in vertebrates. Numerous life history, physiological and cognitive traits have been shown to affect, or to be affected by, such social relationships. As such, differences in developmental modes, i.e. the ‘altricial-precocial’ spectrum, may play an important role in understanding the interspecific variation in occurrence of social interactions, but to what extent this is the case is unclear because the role of the developmental mode has not been studied directly in across-species studies of sociality. In other words, although there are studies on the effects of developmental mode on brain size, on the effects of brain size on cognition, and on the effects of cognition on social complexity, there are no studies directly investigating the link between developmental mode and social complexity. This is surprising because developmental differences play a significant role in the evolution of, for example, brain size, which is in turn considered an essential building block with respect to social complexity. Here, we compiled an overview of studies on various aspects of the complexity of social systems in altricial and precocial mammals and birds. Although systematic studies are scarce and do not allow for a quantitative comparison, we show that several forms of social relationships and cognitive abilities occur in species along the entire developmental spectrum. Based on the existing evidence it seems that differences in developmental modes play a minor role in whether or not individuals or species are able to meet the cognitive capabilities and requirements for maintaining complex social relationships. Given the scarcity of comparative studies and potential subtle differences, however, we suggest that future studies should consider developmental differences to determine whether our finding is general or whether some of the vast variation in social complexity across species can be explained by developmental mode. This would allow a more detailed assessment of the relative importance of developmental mode in the evolution of vertebrate social systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella B R Scheiber
- The University of Groningen, Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, Institute of Biology, Talstraße 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- The University of Groningen, Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- The University of Groningen, Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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34
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Kohn JN, Snyder-Mackler N, Barreiro LB, Johnson ZP, Tung J, Wilson ME. Dominance rank causally affects personality and glucocorticoid regulation in female rhesus macaques. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:179-188. [PMID: 27639059 PMCID: PMC5494262 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Low social status is frequently associated with heightened exposure to social stressors and altered glucocorticoid regulation by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Additionally, personality differences can affect how individuals behave in response to social conditions, and thus may aggravate or protect against the effects of low status on HPA function. Disentangling the relative importance of personality from the effects of the social environment on the HPA axis has been challenging, since social status can predict aspects of behavior, and both can remain stable across the lifespan. To do so here, we studied an animal model of social status and social behavior, the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). We performed two sequential experimental manipulations of dominance rank (i.e., social status) in 45 adult females, allowing us to characterize personality and glucocorticoid regulation (based on sensitivity to the exogenous glucocorticoid dexamethasone) in each individual while she occupied two different dominance ranks. We identified two behavioral characteristics, termed 'social approachability' and 'boldness,' which were highly social status-dependent. Social approachability and a third dimension, anxiousness, were also associated with cortisol dynamics in low status females, suggesting that behavioral tendencies may sensitize individuals to the effects of low status on HPA axis function. Finally, we found that improvements in dominance rank increased dexamethasone-induced acute cortisol suppression and glucocorticoid negative feedback. Our findings indicate that social status causally affects both behavioral tendencies and glucocorticoid regulation, and that some behavioral tendencies also independently affect cortisol levels, beyond the effects of rank. Together, they highlight the importance of considering personality and social status together when investigating their effects on HPA axis function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan N Kohn
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Duke Center for Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Zachary P Johnson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA; Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya; Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Mark E Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Cunliffe VT. The epigenetic impacts of social stress: how does social adversity become biologically embedded? Epigenomics 2016; 8:1653-1669. [PMID: 27869483 PMCID: PMC5289034 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in the processes through which social stressors erode health in humans and other animals. Here I review progress in elucidating the biological pathways underlying the social gradient in health, with particular emphasis on how behavioral stresses influence epigenomic variation linked to health. The evidence that epigenetic changes are involved in embedding of social status-linked chronic stress is reviewed in the context of current knowledge about behavior within animal dominance hierarchies and the impacts of social position on behaviors that affect health. The roles of epigenetic mechanisms in responses to trauma and the evidence for their involvement in intergenerational transmission of the biological impacts of traumatic stress are also considered. Taken together, the emerging insights have important implications for development of strategies to improve societal health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent T Cunliffe
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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