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CSF monoamines, age and impulsivity in wild grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops aethiops)
L A Fairbanks1, M B Fontenot, J E Phillips-Conroy
1Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. LFAIRBANKS@mednet.ucla.edu
Brain, Behavior and Evolution
|September 4, 1999
Summary
This study in grivet monkeys reveals that brain monoamine levels change with age and influence impulsive behaviors. Lower norepinephrine metabolite (MHPG) was linked to increased impulsivity in wild primates.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Primatology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Brain monoaminergic activity is linked to impulsive behaviors, particularly during adolescence in primates.
- Understanding these neurochemical changes in natural settings is crucial for behavioral ecology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related variations in monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism.
- To examine the relationship between neurotransmitter levels and behavioral impulsivity in wild grivet monkeys.
Main Methods:
- Collected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 22 grivet monkeys in Ethiopia's Awash National Park.
- Assayed CSF for serotonin (5-HIAA), dopamine (HVA), and norepinephrine (MHPG) metabolites.
- Measured behavioral impulsivity by observing re-entry into baited traps.
Main Results:
- Homovanillic acid (HVA) concentrations significantly decreased with age.
- A curvilinear relationship between age and the 5-HIAA/HVA ratio was observed, with a trough during adolescence.
- Lower levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) correlated with higher behavioral impulsivity.
Conclusions:
- Central monoaminergic activity shows natural variation with age and has functional consequences on behavior in wild primate populations.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of impulsivity in a natural ecological context.