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CSF 5-HIAA and aggression in female macaque monkeys: species and interindividual differences
G C Westergaard1, S J Suomi, J D Higley
1Division of Research, LABS of Virginia, Inc., 95 Castle Hall Road, P. O. Box 557, Yemassee, SC 29945, USA. gwprimate@aol.com
Psychopharmacology
|November 7, 1999
Summary
Female macaques show that low serotonin activity (CSF 5-HIAA) is linked to higher aggression and social dominance. This suggests serotonin regulates aggression and social rank across primate species.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Primate Behavior
- Serotonin Research
Background:
- Limited research exists on the link between cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5-HIAA), aggression, and social dominance in female primates.
- Previous studies primarily focused on males, leaving a gap in understanding these relationships across species and sexes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between CSF 5-HIAA levels, aggression, and social dominance in female rhesus macaques and pigtailed macaques.
- To test if CSF 5-HIAA concentrations and aggression levels differ between these two closely related primate species.
- To determine if CSF 5-HIAA concentrations correlate with aggression and social dominance within each species.
Main Methods:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 61 female rhesus and pigtailed macaques.
- Subjects were housed in unisex social groups to observe aggression, wounding, and social dominance acquisition.
- Interindividual differences in CSF 5-HIAA levels were correlated with behavioral and social outcomes.
Main Results:
- Pigtailed macaques exhibited higher CSF 5-HIAA concentrations compared to rhesus macaques.
- Rhesus macaques showed higher rates of aggression and medically treated wounds.
- Within species, lower CSF 5-HIAA was associated with increased aggression, while higher CSF 5-HIAA correlated with higher social dominance.
Conclusions:
- Species-specific differences in aggression and social behavior are linked to central nervous system serotonin activity.
- Lower CSF 5-HIAA concentrations in rhesus macaques correspond to higher levels of severe aggression.
- Serotonergic functioning is crucial for regulating impulses, aggression, and social dominance in both male and female primates.