1
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Ferrer I. Amyloid-β Pathology Is the Common Nominator Proteinopathy of the Primate Brain Aging. J Alzheimers Dis 2024:JAD240389. [PMID: 39031364 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Senile plaques, mainly diffuse, and cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) angiopathy are prevalent in the aging brain of non-human primates, from lemurs to non-human Hominidae. Aβ but not hyper-phosphorylated tau (HPtau) pathology is the common nominator proteinopathy of non-human primate brain aging. The abundance of Aβ in the aging primate brain is well tolerated, and the impact on cognitive functions is usually limited to particular tasks. In contrast, human brain aging is characterized by the early appearance of HPtau pathology, mainly forming neurofibrillary tangles, dystrophic neurites of neuritic plaques, and neuropil threads, preceding Aβ deposits by several decades and by its severity progressing from selected nuclei of the brain stem, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus to the limbic system, neocortex, and other brain regions. Neurofibrillary tangles correlate with cognitive impairment and dementia in advanced cases. Aβ pathology is linked in humans to altered membrane protein and lipid composition, particularly involving lipid rafts. Although similar membrane alterations are unknown in non-human primates, membrane senescence is postulated to cause the activated β-amyloidogenic pathway, and Aβ pathology is the prevailing signature of non-human and human primate brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Thompson González N, Machanda Z, Emery Thompson M. Age-related social selectivity: An adaptive lens on a later life social phenotype. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105294. [PMID: 37380041 PMCID: PMC10529433 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105294] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Age-related social selectivity is a process in which older humans reduce their number of social partners to a subset of positive and emotionally fulfilling relationships. Although selectivity has been attributed to humans' unique perceptions of time horizons, recent evidence demonstrates that these social patterns and processes occur in other non-human primates, suggesting an evolutionarily wider phenomenon. Here, we develop the hypothesis that selective social behavior is an adaptive strategy that allows social animals to balance the costs and benefits of navigating social environments in the face of age-related functional declines. We first aim to distinguish social selectivity from the non-adaptive social consequences of aging. We then outline multiple mechanisms by which social selectivity in old age may enhance fitness and healthspan. Our goal is to lay out a research agenda to identify selective strategies and their potential benefits. Given the importance of social support for health across primates, understanding why aging individuals lose social connections and how they can remain resilient has vital applications to public health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Thompson González
- Integrative Anthropological Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Zarin Machanda
- Department of Anthropology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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3
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Gros A, Wang SH. Cognitive rescue in aging through prior training in rats. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:5990-6010. [PMID: 37338529 PMCID: PMC10373978 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204808] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive decline in spatial memory is seen in aging. Understanding affected processes in aging is vital for developing methods to improve wellbeing. Daily memory persistence can be influenced by events around the time of learning or by prior experiences in early life. Fading memories in young can last longer if a novel event is introduced around encoding, a process called behavioral tagging. Based on this principle, we asked what processes are affected in aging and if prior training can rescue them. Two groups of aged rats received training in an appetitive delayed matching-to-place task. One of the groups additionally received prior training of the same task in young and in mid-life, constituting a longitudinal study. The results showed long-term memory decline in late aging without prior training. This would reflect affected encoding and consolidation. On the other hand, short-term memory was preserved and novelty at memory reactivation and reconsolidation enabled memory maintenance in aging. Prior training improved cognition through facilitating task performance, strengthening short-term memory and intermediate memory, and enabling encoding-boosted long-term memory. Implication of these findings in understanding brain mechanisms in cognitive aging and in beneficial effects of prior training is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gros
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Szu-Han Wang
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
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4
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Hopkins WD, Li X, Roberts N, Mulholland MM, Sherwood CC, Edler MK, Raghanti MA, Schapiro SJ. Age differences in cortical thickness and their association with cognition in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Neurobiol Aging 2023; 126:91-102. [PMID: 36958104 PMCID: PMC10106435 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.02.008] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Humans and chimpanzees are genetically similar and share a number of life history, behavioral, cognitive and neuroanatomical similarities. Notwithstanding, our understanding of age-related changes in cognitive and motor functions in chimpanzees remains largely unstudied despite recent evident demonstrating that chimpanzees exhibit many of the same neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease observed in human postmortem brains. Here, we examined age-related differences in cognition and cortical thickness measured from magnetic resonance images in a sample of 215 chimpanzees ranging in age between 9 and 54 years. We found that chimpanzees showed global and region-specific thinning of cortex with increasing age. Further, within the elderly cohort, chimpanzees that performed better than average had thicker cortex in frontal, temporal and parietal regions compared to chimpanzees that performed worse than average. Independent of age, we also found sex differences in cortical thickness in 4 brain regions. Males had higher adjusted cortical thickness scores for the caudal anterior cingulate, rostral anterior cingulate, and medial orbital frontal while females had higher values for the inferior parietal cortex. We found no evidence that increasing age nor sex was associated with asymmetries in cortical thickness. Moreover, age-related differences in cognitive function were only weakly associated with asymmetries in cortical thickness. In summary, as has been reported in humans and other primates, elderly chimpanzees show thinner cortex and variation in cortical thickness is associated with general cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX.
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michele M Mulholland
- National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Melissa K Edler
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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5
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Mulholland MM, Meguerditchian A, Hopkins WD. Age- and sex-related differences in baboon (Papio anubis) gray matter covariation. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 125:41-48. [PMID: 36827943 PMCID: PMC10308318 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.005] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in cognition, brain morphology, and behavior are exhibited in several primate species. Baboons, like humans, naturally develop Alzheimer's disease-like pathology and cognitive declines with age and are an underutilized model for studies of aging. To determine age-related differences in gray matter covariation of 89 olive baboons (Papio anubis), we used source-based morphometry (SBM) to analyze data from magnetic resonance images. We hypothesized that we would find significant age effects in one or more SBM components, particularly those which include regions influenced by age in humans and other nonhuman primates (NHPs). A multivariate analysis of variance revealed that individual weighted gray matter covariation scores differed across the age classes. Elderly baboons contributed significantly less to gray matter covariation components including the brainstem, superior parietal cortex, thalamus, and pallidum compared to juveniles, and middle and superior frontal cortex compared to juveniles and young adults (p < 0.05). Future studies should examine the relationship between the changes in gray matter covariation reported here and age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Mulholland
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX.
| | - A Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive UMR7290, LPC, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, Institute of Language, Communication and the Brain, Marseille, France; Station de Primatologie-Celphedia, UAR846, Rousset, France
| | - W D Hopkins
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX
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6
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Rigby Dames BA, Kilili H, Charvet CJ, Díaz-Barba K, Proulx MJ, de Sousa AA, Urrutia AO. Evolutionary and genomic perspectives of brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:165-215. [PMID: 36841568 PMCID: PMC11191546 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.10.004] [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] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This chapter utilizes genomic concepts and evolutionary perspectives to further understand the possible links between typical brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on the two most prevalent of these: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Aging is the major risk factor for these neurodegenerative diseases. Researching the evolutionary and molecular underpinnings of aging helps to reveal elements of the typical aging process that leave individuals more vulnerable to neurodegenerative pathologies. Very little is known about the prevalence and susceptibility of neurodegenerative diseases in nonhuman species, as only a few individuals have been observed with these neuropathologies. However, several studies have investigated the evolution of lifespan, which is closely connected with brain size in mammals, and insights can be drawn from these to enrich our understanding of neurodegeneration. This chapter explores the relationship between the typical aging process and the events in neurodegeneration. First, we examined how age-related processes can increase susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases. Second, we assessed to what extent neurodegeneration is an accelerated form of aging. We found that while at the phenotypic level both neurodegenerative diseases and the typical aging process share some characteristics, at the molecular level they show some distinctions in their profiles, such as variation in genes and gene expression. Furthermore, neurodegeneration of the brain is associated with an earlier onset of cellular, molecular, and structural age-related changes. In conclusion, a more integrative view of the aging process, both from a molecular and an evolutionary perspective, may increase our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brier A Rigby Dames
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
| | - Huseyin Kilili
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Karina Díaz-Barba
- Licenciatura en Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México; Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Michael J Proulx
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | | | - Araxi O Urrutia
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Licenciatura en Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México; Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México.
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7
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Takeshita RS, Edler MK, Meindl RS, Sherwood CC, Hopkins WD, Raghanti MA. Age, adrenal steroids, and cognitive functioning in captive chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes). PeerJ 2022; 10:e14323. [PMID: 36389417 PMCID: PMC9653054 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate is the most abundant circulating androgen in humans and other catarrhines. It is involved in several biological functions, such as testosterone production, glucocorticoid antagonist actions, neurogenesis and neuroplasticty. Although the role of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) in cognition remains elusive, the DHEAS/cortisol ratio has been positively associated with a slower cognitive age-decline and improved mood in humans. Whether this relationship is found in nonhuman primates remains unknown. Methods We measured DHEAS and cortisol levels in serum of 107 adult chimpanzees to investigate the relationship between DHEAS levels and age. A subset of 21 chimpanzees was used to test the potential associations between DHEAS, cortisol, and DHEAS/cortisol ratio in cognitive function, taking into account age, sex, and their interactions. We tested for cognitive function using the primate cognitive test battery (PCTB) and principal component analyses to categorize cognition into three components: spatial relationship tasks, tool use and social communication tasks, and auditory-visual sensory perception tasks. Results DHEAS levels, but not the DHEAS/cortisol ratio, declined with age in chimpanzees. Our analyses for spatial relationships tasks revealed a significant, positive correlation with the DHEAS/cortisol ratio. Tool use and social communication had a negative relationship with age. Our data show that the DHEAS/cortisol ratio, but not DHEAS individually, is a promising predictor of spatial cognition in chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela S.C. Takeshita
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Melissa K. Edler
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Richard S. Meindl
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
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8
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Epigenetic aging of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in humans and chimpanzees. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1774-1785. [PMID: 35603816 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic age has emerged as an important biomarker of biological aging. It has revealed that some tissues age faster than others, which is vital to understanding the complex phenomenon of aging and developing effective interventions. Previous studies have demonstrated that humans exhibit heterogeneity in pace of epigenetic aging among brain structures that are consistent with differences in structural and microanatomical deterioration. Here, we add comparative data on epigenetic brain aging for chimpanzees, humans' closest relatives. Such comparisons can further our understanding of which aspects of human aging are evolutionarily conserved or specific to our species, especially given that humans are distinguished by a long lifespan, large brain, and, potentially, more severe neurodegeneration with age. Specifically, we investigated epigenetic aging of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum, of humans and chimpanzees by generating genome-wide CpG methylation data and applying established epigenetic clock algorithms to produce estimates of biological age for these tissues. We found that both species exhibit relatively slow epigenetic aging in the brain relative to blood. Between brain structures, humans show a faster rate of epigenetic aging in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum, which is consistent with previous findings. Chimpanzees, in contrast, show comparable rates of epigenetic aging in the two brain structures. Greater epigenetic change in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum may reflect both the protracted development of this structure in humans and its greater age-related vulnerability to neurodegenerative pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA.,Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10124, USA
| | - John J Ely
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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9
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Siracusa ER, Higham JP, Snyder-Mackler N, Brent LJN. Social ageing: exploring the drivers of late-life changes in social behaviour in mammals. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20210643. [PMID: 35232274 PMCID: PMC8889194 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions help group-living organisms cope with socio-environmental challenges and are central to survival and reproductive success. Recent research has shown that social behaviour and relationships can change across the lifespan, a phenomenon referred to as 'social ageing'. Given the importance of social integration for health and well-being, age-dependent changes in social behaviour can modulate how fitness changes with age and may be an important source of unexplained variation in individual patterns of senescence. However, integrating social behaviour into ageing research requires a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of age-based changes in social behaviour. Here, we provide an overview of the drivers of late-life changes in sociality. We suggest that explanations for social ageing can be categorized into three groups: changes in sociality that (a) occur as a result of senescence; (b) result from adaptations to ameliorate the negative effects of senescence; and/or (c) result from positive effects of age and demographic changes. Quantifying the relative contribution of these processes to late-life changes in sociality will allow us to move towards a more holistic understanding of how and why these patterns emerge and will provide important insights into the potential for social ageing to delay or accelerate other patterns of senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin R Siracusa
- School of Psychology, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,School for Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Lauren J N Brent
- School of Psychology, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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10
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Loyant L, Waller BM, Micheletta J, Joly M. Validation of a battery of inhibitory control tasks reveals a multifaceted structure in non-human primates. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12863. [PMID: 35186469 PMCID: PMC8840138 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control, the ability to override an inappropriate prepotent response, is crucial in many aspects of everyday life. However, the various paradigms designed to measure inhibitory control often suffer from a lack of systematic validation and have yielded mixed results. Thus the nature of this ability remains unclear, is it a general construct or a family of distinct sub-components? Therefore, the aim of this study was first to demonstrate the content validity and the temporal repeatability of a battery of inhibitory control tasks. Then we wanted to assess the contextual consistency of performances between these tasks to better understand the structure of inhibitory control. We tested 21 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, 12 males, nine females) in a battery of touchscreen tasks assessing three main components of inhibitory control: inhibition of a distraction (using a Distraction task), inhibition of an impulsive action (using a Go/No-go task) and inhibition of a cognitive set (using a Reversal learning task). All tasks were reliable and effective at measuring the inhibition of a prepotent response. However, while there was consistency of performance between the inhibition of a distraction and the inhibition of an action, representing a response-driven basic form of inhibition, this was not found for the inhibition of a cognitive set. We argue that the inhibition of a cognitive set is a more cognitively demanding form of inhibition. This study gives a new insight in the multifaceted structure of inhibitory control and highlights the importance of a systematic validation of cognitive tasks in animal cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Loyant
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget M. Waller
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jérôme Micheletta
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom
| | - Marine Joly
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom
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11
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Rothwell ES, Workman KP, Wang D, Lacreuse A. Sex differences in cognitive aging: a 4-year longitudinal study in marmosets. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 109:88-99. [PMID: 34700200 PMCID: PMC8841951 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Longitudinal studies are essential to understand healthy and pathological neurocognitive aging such as Alzheimer's Disease, but longitudinal designs are rare in both humans and non-human primate models of aging because of the difficulty of tracking cognitive change in long-lived primates. Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are uniquely suited for aging studies due to their naturally short lifespan (10-12 years), sophisticated cognitive and social abilities and Alzheimer Disease-like neuropathology. We report the first longitudinal study of cognitive aging in marmosets (N = 28) as they transitioned from middle- (∼5 years) to old age (∼9 years). We characterized aging trajectories using reversal learning with different stimuli each year. Marmosets initially improved on cognitive performance due to practice, but worsened in the final year, suggesting the onset of age-related decline. Cognitive impairment emerged earlier in females than males and was more prominent for discrimination than for reversal learning. Sex differences in cognitive aging could not be explained by differences in motivation or motor abilities, which improved or remained stable across aging. Likewise, males and females did not differ in aging trajectories of overall behavior or reactivity to a social stressor, with the exception of a progressive decline in the initiation of social behavior in females. Patterns of cognitive aging were highly variable across marmosets of both sexes, suggesting the potential for pathological aging for some individuals. Future work will link individual cognitive trajectories to neuropathology in order to better understand the relationships between neuropathologic burden and vulnerability to age-related cognitive decline in each sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S. Rothwell
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA,Corresponding author:
| | - Kathryn P. Workman
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Dongwei Wang
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA,Neuroscience & Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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12
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Loyant L, Waller BM, Micheletta J, Joly M. Heterogeneity of performances in several inhibitory control tasks: male rhesus macaques are more easily distracted than females. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:211564. [PMID: 34849250 PMCID: PMC8611350 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control, the ability to override a dominant response, is crucial in many aspects of everyday life. In animal studies, striking individual variations are often largely ignored and their causes rarely considered. Hence, our aims were to systematically investigate individual variability in inhibitory control, to replicate the most common causes of individual variation (age, sex and rank) and to determine if these factors had a consistent effect on three main components of inhibitory control (inhibition of a distraction, inhibition of an action, inhibition of a cognitive set). We tested 21 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in a battery of validated touchscreen tasks. We first found individual variations in all inhibitory control performances. We then demonstrated that males had poorer performances to inhibit a distraction and that middle-aged individuals exhibited poorer performance in the inhibition of a cognitive set. Hence, the factors of age and sex were not consistently associated with the main components of inhibitory control, suggesting a multi-faceted structure. The rank of the subjects did not influence any inhibitory control performances. This study adopts a novel approach for animal behaviour studies and gives new insight into the individual variability of inhibitory control which is crucial to understand its evolutionary underpinnings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Loyant
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Bridget M. Waller
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jérôme Micheletta
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Marine Joly
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
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13
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Vale GL, McGuigan N, Burdett E, Lambeth SP, Lucas A, Rawlings B, Schapiro SJ, Watson SK, Whiten A. Why do chimpanzees have diverse behavioral repertoires yet lack more complex cultures? Invention and social information use in a cumulative task. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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14
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Mulholland MM, Sherwood CC, Schapiro SJ, Raghanti MA, Hopkins WD. Age- and cognition-related differences in the gray matter volume of the chimpanzee brain (Pan troglodytes): A voxel-based morphometry and conjunction analysis. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23264. [PMID: 33899958 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Several primate species have been shown to exhibit age-related changes in cognition, brain, and behavior. However, severe neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), were once thought to be uniquely human. Recently, some chimpanzees naturally were documented to develop both neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, the main characteristics of AD pathology. In addition, like humans and other primates, chimpanzees show similar declines in cognition and motor function with age. Here, we used voxel-based morphometry to examine the relationships among gray matter volume, age, and cognition using magnetic resonance imaging scans previously acquired from chimpanzees (N = 216). We first determined the relationship between age and gray matter volume, identifying the regions that declined with age. With a subset of our sample (N = 103), we also determined differences in gray matter volume between older chimpanzees with higher cognition scores than expected for their age, and older chimpanzees with lower than expected scores. Finally, we ran a conjunction analysis to determine any overlap in brain regions between these two analyses. We found that as chimpanzees age, they lose gray matter in regions associated with cognition. In addition, cognitively healthy older chimpanzees (those performing better for their age) have greater gray matter volume in many brain regions compared with chimpanzees who underperform for their age. Finally, the conjunction analysis revealed that regions of age-related decline overlap with the regions that differ between cognitively healthy chimpanzees and those who underperform. This study provides further evidence that chimpanzees are an important model for research on the neurobiology of aging. Future studies should investigate the effects of cognitive stimulation on both cognitive performance and brain structure in aging nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Mulholland
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
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15
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Hopkins WD, Mareno MC, Webb SJN, Schapiro SJ, Raghanti MA, Sherwood CC. Age-related changes in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) cognition: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23214. [PMID: 33169860 PMCID: PMC7904603 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Chimpanzees are the species most closely related to humans, yet age-related changes in brain and cognition remain poorly understood. The lack of studies on age-related changes in cognition in chimpanzees is particularly unfortunate in light of the recent evidence demonstrating that this species naturally develops Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Here, we tested 213 young, middle-aged, and elderly captive chimpanzees on the primate cognitive test battery (PCTB), a set of 13 tasks that assess physical and social cognition in nonhuman primates. A subset of these chimpanzees (n = 146) was tested a second time on a portion of the PCTB tasks as a means of evaluating longitudinal changes in cognition. Cross-sectional analyses revealed a significant quadratic association between age and cognition with younger and older chimpanzees performing more poorly than middle-aged individuals. Longitudinal analyses showed that the oldest chimpanzees at the time of the first test showed the greatest decline in cognition, although the effect was mild. The collective data show that chimpanzees, like other nonhuman primates, show age-related decline in cognition. Further investigations into whether the observed cognitive decline is associated with AD pathologies in chimpanzees would be invaluable in understanding the comparative biology of aging and neuropathology in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Sarah J Neal Webb
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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16
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Lacreuse A, Raz N, Schmidtke D, Hopkins WD, Herndon JG. Age-related decline in executive function as a hallmark of cognitive ageing in primates: an overview of cognitive and neurobiological studies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190618. [PMID: 32951543 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) is a complex construct that reflects multiple higher-order cognitive processes such as planning, updating, inhibiting and set-shifting. Decline in these functions is a hallmark of cognitive ageing in humans, and age differences and changes in EF correlate with age-related differences and changes in association cortices, particularly the prefrontal areas. Here, we review evidence for age-related decline in EF and associated neurobiological changes in prosimians, New World and Old World monkeys, apes and humans. While EF declines with age in all primate species studied, the relationship of this decline with age-related alterations in the prefrontal cortex remains unclear, owing to the scarcity of neurobiological studies focusing on the ageing brain in most primate species. In addition, the influence of sex, vascular and metabolic risk, and hormonal status has rarely been considered. We outline several methodological limitations and challenges with the goal of producing a comprehensive integration of cognitive and neurobiological data across species and elucidating how ageing shapes neurocognitive trajectories in primates with different life histories, lifespans and brain architectures. Such comparative investigations are critical for fostering translational research and understanding healthy and pathological ageing in our own species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Lacreuse
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Naftali Raz
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Schmidtke
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - James G Herndon
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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17
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Machanda ZP, Rosati AG. Shifting sociality during primate ageing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190620. [PMID: 32951557 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans exhibit major age-related shifts in social relationships along with changes in social and emotional psychological processes that underpin these behavioural shifts. Does social ageing in non-human primates follow similar patterns, and if so, what are the ultimate evolutionary consequences of these social shifts? Here we synthesize empirical evidence for shifts in social behaviour and underlying psychological processes across species. Focusing on three elements of social behaviour and cognition that are important for humans-propensities to engage with others, the positive versus negative valence of these interactions, and capabilities to influence others, we find evidence for wide variation in the trajectories of these characteristics across primates. Based on this, we identify potential modulators of the primate social ageing process, including social organization, sex and dominance status. Finally, we discuss how comparative research can contextualize human social ageing. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra G Rosati
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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18
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Schubiger MN, Fichtel C, Burkart JM. Validity of Cognitive Tests for Non-human Animals: Pitfalls and Prospects. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1835. [PMID: 32982822 PMCID: PMC7488350 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative psychology assesses cognitive abilities and capacities of non-human animals and humans. Based on performance differences and similarities in various species in cognitive tests, it is inferred how their minds work and reconstructed how cognition might have evolved. Critically, such species comparisons are only valid and meaningful if the tasks truly capture individual and inter-specific variation in cognitive abilities rather than contextual variables that might affect task performance. Unlike in human test psychology, however, cognitive tasks for non-human primates (and most other animals) have been rarely evaluated regarding their measurement validity. We review recent studies that address how non-cognitive factors affect performance in a set of commonly used cognitive tasks, and if cognitive tests truly measure individual variation in cognitive abilities. We find that individual differences in emotional and motivational factors primarily affect performance via attention. Hence, it is crucial to systematically control for attention during cognitive tasks to obtain valid and reliable results. Aspects of test design, however, can also have a substantial effect on cognitive performance. We conclude that non-cognitive factors are a minor source of measurement error if acknowledged and properly controlled for. It is essential, however, to validate and eventually re-design several primate cognition tasks in order to ascertain that they capture the cognitive abilities they were designed to measure. This will provide a more solid base for future cognitive comparisons within primates but also across a wider range of non-human animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michèle N. Schubiger
- Evolutionary Cognition Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- World Ape Fund, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus “Primate Cognition”, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Judith M. Burkart
- Evolutionary Cognition Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Zeiss CJ. Utility of spontaneous animal models of Alzheimer’s disease in preclinical efficacy studies. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 380:273-286. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03198-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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20
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Neal Webb SJ, Bridges JP, Thiele E, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ. The implementation and initial evaluation of a physical therapy program for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23109. [PMID: 32077522 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Due to advances in captive nonhuman primate (NHP) medical care, the number of geriatric chimpanzees (≥35-years old) is growing. With old age comes a variety of physical conditions, including arthritis, stroke, and mobility impairments. Programs aimed at enhancing the welfare of geriatric chimpanzees are now quite common, but there are few published empirical evaluations of the efficacy of such programs. The current study aimed to create, implement, and evaluate the effects of participation in a physical therapy (PT) program on physical health, mobility, welfare, and behavior. Nine chimpanzees with mobility impairments participated in personalized PT routines (using positive reinforcement training) twice per week for 5 months. Additionally, nine control chimpanzees (non-mobility-impaired, matched with PT chimpanzees on age and gender) participated in body exam behavior sessions (also using positive reinforcement training) twice per week. All chimpanzees were rated on 14 health, well-being, and behavior items, as well as level of mobility throughout the PT program. Chimpanzees that participated in the PT program showed significant increases in ratings of physical health, well-being, and activity levels across phases of the program. Furthermore, compared to control chimpanzees, PT chimpanzees showed significant increases in ratings of ease of movement. Because raters were not blind to physical therapy treatment, our results represent an initial evaluation of the program that may suggest that participation in the PT program has physical, behavioral, and welfare benefits. Assessments of novel geriatric-focused care strategies and programs are essential to further enhance the welfare of the captive chimpanzee population, which is currently comprised of many geriatric animals, whose proportion of the captive population will only increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Neal Webb
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Bastrop, Texas
| | - Jennifer P Bridges
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Bastrop, Texas
| | - Erica Thiele
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Bastrop, Texas
| | - Susan P Lambeth
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Bastrop, Texas
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Bastrop, Texas.,Department of Experimental Medicine, The University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Krachun C, Lurz R, Mahovetz LM, Hopkins WD. Mirror self-recognition and its relationship to social cognition in chimpanzees. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:1171-1183. [PMID: 31542841 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01309-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Chimpanzees and humans are capable of recognizing their own reflection in mirrors. Little is understood about the selective pressures that led to this evolved trait and about the mechanisms that underlie it. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that mirror self-recognition in chimpanzees is the byproduct of a developed form of self-awareness that was naturally selected for its adaptive use in social cognitive behaviors. We present here the first direct attempt to assess the social cognition hypothesis by analyzing the association between mirror self-recognition in chimpanzees, as measured by a mirror-mark test, and their performance on a variety of social cognition tests. Consistent with the social cognition hypothesis, chimpanzees who showed evidence of mirror self-recognition in the mark test tended to perform significantly better on the social cognition tasks than those who failed the mark test. Additionally, the data as a whole fit the social cognition hypothesis better than the main competing hypothesis of mirror self-recognition in great apes, the secondary representation hypothesis. Our findings strongly suggest that the evolutionary origins of great apes' and humans' capacity to understand ourselves, as revealed by our capacity to recognize ourselves in mirrors, are intimately linked to our ability to understand others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Krachun
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, 9 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Robert Lurz
- Department of Philosophy, Brooklyn College, CUNY, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Lindsay M Mahovetz
- Department of Psychology, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
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22
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Hopkins WD, Li X, Roberts N. More intelligent chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have larger brains and increased cortical thickness. INTELLIGENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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23
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Schubiger MN, Kissling A, Burkart JM. Does opportunistic testing bias cognitive performance in primates? Learning from drop-outs. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213727. [PMID: 30893340 PMCID: PMC6426242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dropouts are a common issue in cognitive tests with non-human primates. One main reason for dropouts is that researchers often face a trade-off between obtaining a sufficiently large sample size and logistic restrictions, such as limited access to testing facilities. The commonly-used opportunistic testing approach deals with this trade-off by only testing those individuals who readily participate and complete the cognitive tasks within a given time frame. All other individuals are excluded from further testing and data analysis. However, it is unknown if this approach merely excludes subjects who are not consistently motivated to participate, or if these dropouts systematically differ in cognitive ability. If the latter holds, the selection bias resulting from opportunistic testing would systematically affect performance scores and thus comparisons between individuals and species. We assessed the potential effects of opportunistic testing on cognitive performance in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) with a test battery consisting of six cognitive tests: two inhibition tasks (Detour Reaching and A-not-B), one cognitive flexibility task (Reversal Learning), one quantity discrimination task, and two memory tasks. Importantly, we used a full testing approach in which subjects were given as much time as they required to complete each task. For each task, we then compared the performance of subjects who completed the task within the expected number of testing days with those subjects who needed more testing time. We found that the two groups did not differ in task performance, and therefore opportunistic testing would have been justified without risking biased results. If our findings generalise to other species, maximising sample sizes by only testing consistently motivated subjects will be a valid alternative whenever full testing is not feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michèle N. Schubiger
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Cognition Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Social and Health Sciences, Division of Psychology, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Alexandra Kissling
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Cognition Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Judith M. Burkart
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Cognition Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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24
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Lacreuse A, Parr L, Chennareddi L, Herndon JG. Age-related decline in cognitive flexibility in female chimpanzees. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 72:83-88. [PMID: 30237074 PMCID: PMC6215734 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Data on cognitive aging in chimpanzees are extremely sparse, yet can provide an invaluable phylogenetic perspective, especially because Alzheimer disease (AD)-like neuropathology has recently been described in the oldest chimpanzee brains. This finding underscores the importance of data on cognitive aging in this fellow hominin, our closest biological relative. We tested 30 female chimpanzees, 12-56 years old, on a computerized analog of the Wisconsin Card Sort test. This test assesses cognitive flexibility, which is severely impaired in normal aging and AD. Subjects selected stimuli according to color or shape; the rewarded dimension (i.e., color or shape) switched without warning and the chimpanzee had to adapt her responses accordingly. We found that increasing age was associated with an increased number of perseverative errors and an increased number of trials to reach criterion in each switching dimension. The number of aborted trials was similar across age groups. These data show that similar to humans, chimpanzees show a clear age-related decline in cognitive flexibility that is already observed at middle age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Lacreuse
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA, USA
| | - Lisa Parr
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University, Atlanta GA, USA; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta GA, USA
| | | | - James G Herndon
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta GA, USA; Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta GA, USA.
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25
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Rosati AG, Arre AM, Platt ML, Santos LR. Developmental shifts in social cognition: socio-emotional biases across the lifespan in rhesus monkeys. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2573-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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26
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Gros A, Wang SH. Behavioral tagging and capture: long-term memory decline in middle-aged rats. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 67:31-41. [PMID: 29609080 PMCID: PMC5964067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Decline in cognitive functions, including hippocampus-dependent spatial memory, is commonly observed at a later stage of aging (e.g., >20 months old in rodents) and typically studied after a discrete learning event. How normal aging, particularly at an early stage, affects the modulatory aspect of memory persistence is underinvestigated. Previous studies in young animals show that weak, fading memories can last longer if a modulating event, such as spatial novelty, is introduced around memory encoding. This is known as behavioral tagging and capture (BTC). Here, we investigated how early aging (10-13 months old) affects BTC in an appetitive delayed-matching-to-place task. We trained rats when they were young and middle aged and found that novelty facilitated long-term memory persistence in young but not in middle-aged rats. However, re-exposure to the encoded environment after learning improved memory persistence in middle-aged rats. BTC, combined with memory reactivation, facilitated memory persistence through reconsolidation. Our results point toward a weakened tagging and capture mechanism before reduction of plasticity-related proteins at an early stage of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gros
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Szu-Han Wang
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
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27
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Watson SK, Vale GL, Hopper LM, Dean LG, Kendal RL, Price EE, Wood LA, Davis SJ, Schapiro SJ, Lambeth SP, Whiten A. Chimpanzees demonstrate individual differences in social information use. Anim Cogn 2018; 21:639-650. [PMID: 29922865 PMCID: PMC6097074 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1198-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Studies of transmission biases in social learning have greatly informed our understanding of how behaviour patterns may diffuse through animal populations, yet within-species inter-individual variation in social information use has received little attention and remains poorly understood. We have addressed this question by examining individual performances across multiple experiments with the same population of primates. We compiled a dataset spanning 16 social learning studies (26 experimental conditions) carried out at the same study site over a 12-year period, incorporating a total of 167 chimpanzees. We applied a binary scoring system to code each participant's performance in each study according to whether they demonstrated evidence of using social information from conspecifics to solve the experimental task or not (Social Information Score-'SIS'). Bayesian binomial mixed effects models were then used to estimate the extent to which individual differences influenced SIS, together with any effects of sex, rearing history, age, prior involvement in research and task type on SIS. An estimate of repeatability found that approximately half of the variance in SIS was accounted for by individual identity, indicating that individual differences play a critical role in the social learning behaviour of chimpanzees. According to the model that best fit the data, females were, depending on their rearing history, 15-24% more likely to use social information to solve experimental tasks than males. However, there was no strong evidence of an effect of age or research experience, and pedigree records indicated that SIS was not a strongly heritable trait. Our study offers a novel, transferable method for the study of individual differences in social learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart K Watson
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Gillian L Vale
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Department of Veterinary Sciences, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA
| | - Lewis G Dean
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Rachel L Kendal
- Department of Anthropology, Centre for the Coevolution of Biology and Culture, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Elizabeth E Price
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Lara A Wood
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Division of Psychology, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee, UK
| | - Sarah J Davis
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susan P Lambeth
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Andrew Whiten
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
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28
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Hopkins WD. A review of performance asymmetries in hand skill in nonhuman primates with a special emphasis on chimpanzees. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:57-89. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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29
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Edler MK, Sherwood CC, Meindl RS, Hopkins WD, Ely JJ, Erwin JM, Mufson EJ, Hof PR, Raghanti MA. Aged chimpanzees exhibit pathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 59:107-120. [PMID: 28888720 PMCID: PMC6343147 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a uniquely human brain disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta protein (Aβ) into extracellular plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) made from intracellular, abnormally phosphorylated tau, and selective neuronal loss. We analyzed a large group of aged chimpanzees (n = 20, age 37-62 years) for evidence of Aβ and tau lesions in brain regions affected by AD in humans. Aβ was observed in plaques and blood vessels, and tau lesions were found in the form of pretangles, NFT, and tau-immunoreactive neuritic clusters. Aβ deposition was higher in vessels than in plaques and correlated with increases in tau lesions, suggesting that amyloid build-up in the brain's microvasculature precedes plaque formation in chimpanzees. Age was correlated to greater volumes of Aβ plaques and vessels. Tangle pathology was observed in individuals that exhibited plaques and moderate or severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a condition in which amyloid accumulates in the brain's vasculature. Amyloid and tau pathology in aged chimpanzees suggests these AD lesions are not specific to the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Edler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA.
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Richard S Meindl
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Joseph M Erwin
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Departments of Neurobiology and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA; Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
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Colman RJ. Non-human primates as a model for aging. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1864:2733-2741. [PMID: 28729086 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There has been, and continues to be, a dramatic shift in the human population towards older ages necessitating biomedical research aimed at better understanding the basic biology of aging and age-related diseases and facilitating new and improved therapeutic options. As it is not practical to perform the breadth of this research in humans, animal models are necessary to recapitulate the complexity of the aging environment. The mouse model is most frequently chosen for these endeavors, however, they are frequently not the most appropriate model. Non-human primates, on the other hand, are more closely related to humans and recapitulate the human aging process and development of age-related diseases. Extensive aging research has been performed in the well-characterized rhesus macaque aging model. More recently, the common marmoset, a small non-human primate with a shorter lifespan, has been explored as a potential aging model. This model holds particular promise as an aging disease model in part due to the successful creation of transgenic marmosets. Limitations to the use of non-human primates in aging research exist but can be mitigated somewhat by the existence of available resources supported by the National Institutes of Health. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Animal models of aging - edited by "Houtkooper Riekelt".
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricki J Colman
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
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31
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Rosati AG, Arre AM, Platt ML, Santos LR. Rhesus monkeys show human-like changes in gaze following across the lifespan. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.0376. [PMID: 27170712 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaze following, or co-orienting with others, is a foundational skill for human social behaviour. The emergence of this capacity scaffolds critical human-specific abilities such as theory of mind and language. Non-human primates also follow others' gaze, but less is known about how the cognitive mechanisms supporting this behaviour develop over the lifespan. Here we experimentally tested gaze following in 481 semi-free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) ranging from infancy to old age. We found that monkeys began to follow gaze in infancy and this response peaked in the juvenile period-suggesting that younger monkeys were especially attuned to gaze information, like humans. After sexual maturity, monkeys exhibited human-like sex differences in gaze following, with adult females showing more gaze following than males. Finally, older monkeys showed reduced propensity to follow gaze, just as older humans do. In a second study (n = 80), we confirmed that macaques exhibit similar baseline rates of looking upwards in a control condition, regardless of age. Our findings indicate that-despite important differences in human and non-human primate life-history characteristics and typical social experiences-monkeys undergo robust ontogenetic shifts in gaze following across early development, adulthood and ageing that are strikingly similar to those of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G Rosati
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alyssa M Arre
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA Department of Marketing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laurie R Santos
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Parron C, Meguerditchian A. Gaze following in baboons (Papio anubis): juveniles adjust their gaze and body position to human's head redirections. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1265-1271. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carole Parron
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive; CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université; Marseille France
- Station de Primatologie de Rousset; CNRS; Rousset France
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive; CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université; Marseille France
- Station de Primatologie de Rousset; CNRS; Rousset France
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Lowenstine LJ, McManamon R, Terio KA. Comparative Pathology of Aging Great Apes: Bonobos, Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and Orangutans. Vet Pathol 2015; 53:250-76. [PMID: 26721908 DOI: 10.1177/0300985815612154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans) are our closest relatives. Despite the many similarities, there are significant differences in aging among apes, including the human ape. Common to all are dental attrition, periodontitis, tooth loss, osteopenia, and arthritis, although gout is uniquely human and spondyloarthropathy is more prevalent in apes than humans. Humans are more prone to frailty, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, longevity past reproductive senescence, loss of brain volume, and Alzheimer dementia. Cerebral vascular disease occurs in both humans and apes. Cardiovascular disease mortality increases in aging humans and apes, but coronary atherosclerosis is the most significant type in humans. In captive apes, idiopathic myocardial fibrosis and cardiomyopathy predominate, with arteriosclerosis of intramural coronary arteries. Similar cardiac lesions are occasionally seen in wild apes. Vascular changes in heart and kidneys and aortic dissections in gorillas and bonobos suggest that hypertension may be involved in pathogenesis. Chronic kidney disease is common in elderly humans and some aging apes and is linked with cardiovascular disease in orangutans. Neoplasms common to aging humans and apes include uterine leiomyomas in chimpanzees, but other tumors of elderly humans, such as breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers, are uncommon in apes. Among the apes, chimpanzees have been best studied in laboratory settings, and more comparative research is needed into the pathology of geriatric zoo-housed and wild apes. Increasing longevity of humans and apes makes understanding aging processes and diseases imperative for optimizing quality of life in all the ape species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Lowenstine
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project-Gorilla Doctors, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R McManamon
- Zoo and Exotic Animal Pathology Service, Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - K A Terio
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
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Neurocognitive Aging and the Hippocampus across Species. Trends Neurosci 2015; 38:800-812. [PMID: 26607684 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 09/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There is extensive evidence that aging is associated with impairments in episodic memory. Many of these changes have been ascribed to neurobiological alterations to the hippocampal network and its input pathways. A cross-species consensus is beginning to emerge suggesting that subtle synaptic and functional changes within this network may underlie the majority of age-related memory impairments. In this review we survey convergent data from animal and human studies that have contributed significantly to our understanding of the brain-behavior relationships in this network, particularly in the aging brain. We utilize a cognitive as well as a neurobiological perspective and synthesize data across approaches and species to reach a more detailed understanding of age-related alterations in hippocampal memory function.
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Lacreuse A, Mong JA, Hara Y. Neurocognitive effects of estrogens across the adult lifespan in nonhuman primates: State of knowledge and new perspectives. Horm Behav 2015; 74:157-66. [PMID: 25762288 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". This review discusses the unique contribution of nonhuman primate research to our understanding of the neurocognitive effects of estrogens throughout the adult lifespan in females. Mounting evidence indicates that estrogens affect many aspects of hippocampal, prefrontal and cholinergic function in the primate brain and the underlying mechanisms are beginning to be elucidated. In addition, estrogens may also influence cognitive function indirectly, via the modulation of other systems that impact cognition. We will focus on the effects of estrogens on sleep and emphasize the need for primate models to better understand these complex interactions. Continued research with nonhuman primates is essential for the development of therapies that are optimal for the maintenance of women's cognitive health throughout the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Lacreuse
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuko Hara
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Brosnan SF, Hopper LM, Richey S, Freeman HD, Talbot CF, Gosling SD, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ. Personality influences responses to inequity and contrast in chimpanzees. Anim Behav 2015; 101:75-87. [PMID: 25722495 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Several species besides humans respond negatively to inequity (i.e. receiving a less preferred outcome as compared to a social partner). Among primates, the taxon for which inequity responses have been most comprehensively studied, there are large individual differences in responses that have, thus far, not been well explained by demographic features such as sex, rank and age. Recent evidence shows that individuals' personalities are important in explaining differences in behavioural outcomes in other contexts. Thus, in the current study, we explored whether personality was associated with chimpanzees' responses to both inequity and contrast (i.e. receiving less than anticipated). Chimpanzees were paired with multiple members of their social groups. These pairs alternated trading a token to receive food rewards that either differed from what their partner received (inequity condition) or from what was initially offered (contrast condition) and we compared their responses to a control in which both subjects were offered and received the same reward for trading the token. We predicted that both personality and the quality and length of the pairs' relationship would influence subjects' reactions to unequal outcomes, as measured by their refusal to exchange tokens. The quality of subjects' relationships, based on a weighted average of grooming, contact and proximity, did not correlate with refusals to exchange, whereas pairs that had lived together longer were less likely to refuse in the contrast condition than were pairs that had lived together for less time. Considering personality, some of the dimensions influenced responses to both inequity and contrast similarly, but the more 'social' personality dimensions ('extraversion' and 'agreeableness') were more strongly correlated with sensitivity to inequity. These results highlight the importance of considering individual differences, including personality, when evaluating responses in cognitive and behavioural tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Brosnan
- Georgia State University, Department of Psychology, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. ; Georgia State University, Department of Philosophy, Neuroscience Institute, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. ; Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, U.S.A
| | - Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL U.S.A
| | - Sean Richey
- Georgia State University, Department of Political Science, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A
| | - Hani D Freeman
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL U.S.A
| | | | - Samuel D Gosling
- University of Texas, Department of Psychology, Austin, TX, U.S.A
| | - Susan P Lambeth
- Georgia State University, Department of Philosophy, Neuroscience Institute, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Georgia State University, Department of Philosophy, Neuroscience Institute, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A
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37
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Hopkins WD, Reamer L, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Genetic basis in motor skill and hand preference for tool use in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20141223. [PMID: 25520351 PMCID: PMC4298198 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees are well known for their tool using abilities. Numerous studies have documented variability in tool use among chimpanzees and the role that social learning and other factors play in their development. There are also findings on hand use in both captive and wild chimpanzees; however, less understood are the potential roles of genetic and non-genetic mechanisms in determining individual differences in tool use skill and laterality. Here, we examined heritability in tool use skill and handedness for a probing task in a sample of 243 captive chimpanzees. Quantitative genetic analysis, based on the extant pedigrees, showed that overall both tool use skill and handedness were significantly heritable. Significant heritability in motor skill was evident in two genetically distinct populations of apes, and between two cohorts that received different early social rearing experiences. We further found that motor skill decreased with age and that males were more commonly left-handed than females. Collectively, these data suggest that though non-genetic factors do influence tool use performance and handedness in chimpanzees, genetic factors also play a significant role, as has been reported in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and the Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lisa Reamer
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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38
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Autrey MM, Reamer LA, Mareno MC, Sherwood CC, Herndon JG, Preuss T, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD. Age-related effects in the neocortical organization of chimpanzees: gray and white matter volume, cortical thickness, and gyrification. Neuroimage 2014; 101:59-67. [PMID: 24983715 PMCID: PMC4165649 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Among primates, humans exhibit the most profound degree of age-related brain volumetric decline in particular regions, such as the hippocampus and the frontal lobe. Recent studies have shown that our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, experience little to no volumetric decline in gray and white matter over the adult lifespan. However, these previous studies were limited with a small sample of chimpanzees of the most advanced ages. In the present study, we sought to further test for potential age-related decline in cortical organization in chimpanzees by expanding the sample size of aged chimpanzees. We used the BrainVisa software to measure total brain volume, gray and white matter volumes, gray matter thickness, and gyrification index in a cross-sectional sample of 219 captive chimpanzees (8-53 years old), with 38 subjects being 40 or more years of age. Mean depth and cortical fold opening of 11 major sulci of the chimpanzee brains were also measured. We found that chimpanzees showed increased gyrification with age and a cubic relationship between age and white matter volume. For the association between age and sulcus depth and width, the results were mostly non-significant with the exception of one negative correlation between age and the fronto-orbital sulcus. In short, results showed that chimpanzees exhibit few age-related changes in global cortical organization, sulcus folding and sulcus width. These findings support previous studies and the theory that the age-related changes in the human brain is due to an extended lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Autrey
- Department of Psychology, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
| | - Lisa A Reamer
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - James G Herndon
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Todd Preuss
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Steve J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA; Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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Hopper LM, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, Whiten A. The importance of witnessed agency in chimpanzee social learning of tool use. Behav Processes 2014; 112:120-9. [PMID: 25444770 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Social learning refers to individuals learning from others, including information gained through indirect social influences, such as the results of others' actions and changes in the physical environment. One method to determine the relative influence of these varieties of information is the 'ghost display', in which no model is involved, but subjects can watch the results that a model would produce. Previous research has shown mixed success by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) learning from ghost displays, with some studies suggesting learning only in relatively simple tasks. To explore whether the failure of chimpanzees to learn from a ghost display may be due to neophobia when tested singly or a requirement for more detailed information for complex tasks, we presented ghost displays of a tool-use task to chimpanzees in their home social groups. Previous tests have revealed that chimpanzees are unable to easily solve this tool-use task asocially, or learn from ghost displays when tested singly, but can learn after observing conspecifics in a group setting. In the present study, despite being tested in a group situation, chimpanzees still showed no success in solving the task via trial-and-error learning, in a baseline condition, nor in learning the task from the ghost display. Simply being in the presence of their group mates and being shown the affordances of the task was not sufficient to encourage learning. Following this, in an escalating series of tests, we examined the chimpanzees' ability to learn from a demonstration by models with agency: (1) a human; (2) video footage of a chimpanzee; (3) a live chimpanzee model. In the first two of these 'social' conditions, subjects showed limited success. By the end of the final open diffusion phase, which was run to determine whether this new behavior would be transmitted among the group after seeing a successful chimpanzee use the task, 83% of chimpanzees were now successful. This confirmed a marked overall effect of observing animate conspecific modeling, in contrast to the ghost condition. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA; Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA; School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland
| | - Susan P Lambeth
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrew Whiten
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland.
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Joly M, Ammersdörfer S, Schmidtke D, Zimmermann E. Touchscreen-based cognitive tasks reveal age-related impairment in a primate aging model, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). PLoS One 2014; 9:e109393. [PMID: 25299046 PMCID: PMC4192115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse lemurs are suggested to represent promising novel non-human primate models for aging research. However, standardized and cross-taxa cognitive testing methods are still lacking. Touchscreen-based testing procedures have proven high stimulus control and reliability in humans and rodents. The aim of this study was to adapt these procedures to mouse lemurs, thereby exploring the effect of age. We measured appetitive learning and cognitive flexibility of two age groups by applying pairwise visual discrimination (PD) and reversal learning (PDR) tasks. On average, mouse lemurs needed 24 days of training before starting with the PD task. Individual performances in PD and PDR tasks correlate significantly, suggesting that individual learning performance is unrelated to the respective task. Compared to the young, aged mouse lemurs showed impairments in both PD and PDR tasks. They needed significantly more trials to reach the task criteria. A much higher inter-individual variation in old than in young adults was revealed. Furthermore, in the PDR task, we found a significantly higher perseverance in aged compared to young adults, indicating an age-related deficit in cognitive flexibility. This study presents the first touchscreen-based data on the cognitive skills and age-related dysfunction in mouse lemurs and provides a unique basis to study mechanisms of inter-individual variation. It furthermore opens exciting perspectives for comparative approaches in aging, personality, and evolutionary research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Joly
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sandra Ammersdörfer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Daniel Schmidtke
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elke Zimmermann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- * E-mail:
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41
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Hopkins WD, Misiura M, Reamer LA, Schaeffer JA, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Poor receptive joint attention skills are associated with atypical gray matter asymmetry in the posterior superior temporal gyrus of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Front Psychol 2014; 5:7. [PMID: 24523703 PMCID: PMC3905213 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical and experimental data have implicated the posterior superior temporal gyrus as an important cortical region in the processing of socially relevant stimuli such as gaze following, eye direction, and head orientation. Gaze following and responding to different socio-communicative signals is an important and highly adaptive skill in primates, including humans. Here, we examined whether individual differences in responding to socio-communicative cues was associated with variation in either gray matter (GM) volume and asymmetry in a sample of chimpanzees. Magnetic resonance image scans and behavioral data on receptive joint attention (RJA) was obtained from a sample of 191 chimpanzees. We found that chimpanzees that performed poorly on the RJA task had less GM in the right compared to left hemisphere in the posterior but not anterior superior temporal gyrus. We further found that middle-aged and elderly chimpanzee performed more poorly on the RJA task and had significantly less GM than young-adult and sub-adult chimpanzees. The results are consistent with previous studies implicating the posterior temporal gyrus in the processing of socially relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA, USA
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University Atlanta, GA, USA
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research CenterAtlanta, GA, USA
| | - Maria Misiura
- Department of Psychology, Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA, USA
| | - Lisa A. Reamer
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Schaeffer
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University Atlanta, GA, USA
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research CenterAtlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary C. Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
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Hopper LM, Price SA, Freeman HD, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, Kendal RL. Influence of personality, age, sex, and estrous state on chimpanzee problem-solving success. Anim Cogn 2013; 17:835-47. [PMID: 24322874 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-013-0715-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite the importance of individual problem solvers for group- and individual-level fitness, the correlates of individual problem-solving success are still an open topic of investigation. In addition to demographic factors, such as age or sex, certain personality dimensions have also been revealed as reliable correlates of problem-solving by animals. Such correlates, however, have been little-studied in chimpanzees. To empirically test the influence of age, sex, estrous state, and different personality factors on chimpanzee problem-solving, we individually tested 36 captive chimpanzees with two novel foraging puzzles. We included both female (N=24) and male (N=12) adult chimpanzees (aged 14-47 years) in our sample. We also controlled for the females' estrous state-a potential influence on cognitive reasoning-by testing cycling females both when their sexual swelling was maximally tumescent (associated with the luteinizing hormone surge of a female's estrous cycle) and again when it was detumescent. Although we found no correlation between the chimpanzees' success with either puzzle and their age or sex, the chimpanzees' personality ratings did correlate with responses to the novel foraging puzzles. Specifically, male chimpanzees that were rated highly on the factors Methodical, Openness (to experience), and Dominance spent longer interacting with the puzzles. There was also a positive relationship between the latency of females to begin interacting with the two tasks and their rating on the factor Reactivity/Undependability. No other significant correlations were found, but we report tentative evidence for increased problem-solving success by the females when they had detumescent estrous swellings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
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