Injection of a neuroleptic produces changes in caregiver-infant interactions in marmosets
1Biology Department, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, U.K.
The effects of injecting a low dose of the neuroleptic fluphenazine decanoate (MODECATE) on the responsiveness of family members (fathers and siblings) to infant common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus ) are described. Tentative conclusions are that the overall effect of the injection is to make fathers and siblings more 'passive' and unresponsive, though the detailed effects are complex and not all interactions with infants are affected. Drugged fathers spend less time grooming infants, pick them up more infrequently, and approach and leave them less often than undrugged fathers. Drugged siblings spend less time playing with infants, ignore them more often, and approach and leave them less often than undrugged siblings. These results indicate the need for studies of the effects of drugs on normal behaviours as well as studies of their side-effects or therapeutic efficacy.
The effects of injecting a low dose of the neuroleptic fluphenazine decanoate (MODECATE) on the responsiveness of family members (fathers and siblings) to infant common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus ) are described. Tentative conclusions are that the overall effect of the injection is to make fathers and siblings more 'passive' and unresponsive, though the detailed effects are complex and not all interactions with infants are affected. Drugged fathers spend less time grooming infants, pick them up more infrequently, and approach and leave them less often than undrugged fathers. Drugged siblings spend less time playing with infants, ignore them more often, and approach and leave them less often than undrugged siblings. These results indicate the need for studies of the effects of drugs on normal behaviours as well as studies of their side-effects or therapeutic efficacy.
