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Maternal neglect and the serotonin system are associated with daytime sleep in infant rhesus monkeys

Alexander Baxter1, Elizabeth K Wood1, Christina S Barr2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.

Development and Psychopathology
|February 5, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Maternal neglect in infant monkeys is linked to less daytime sleep and altered serotonin levels. Serotonin transporter genotype influences this relationship, impacting infant sleep development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental neuroscience
  • Behavioral biology
  • Neuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Infant sleep development is influenced by environmental and biological factors.
  • Parenting significantly modulates infant sleep, potentially through the serotonin system.
  • Serotonin system dysregulation is implicated in sleep regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal neglect, serotonin system functioning, and daytime sleep in infant rhesus monkeys.
  • To explore the moderating role of serotonin transporter genotype in this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of nursery-reared infant rhesus macaques (n=287) during their first month of life.
  • Assessment of daytime sleep-wake states, maternal neglect history, serotonin transporter genotype, and cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels.
  • Statistical analyses including t tests and regression modeling.

Main Results:

  • Neglected infants slept less frequently, weighed less, and had higher 5-HIAA levels compared to non-neglected infants.
  • Serotonin transporter genotype moderated the association between 5-HIAA and daytime sleep.
  • A positive correlation between 5-HIAA and daytime sleep was observed in Ls genotype infants, but not in LL genotype infants.

Conclusions:

  • Parenting and the serotonin system are crucial for infant sleep development.
  • Daytime sleep alterations in neglected infants may be partly due to serotonin system dysregulation.
  • These findings underscore the impact of early life experiences on neurobiological pathways regulating sleep.

Keywords:
5-hydroxyindoleacetic aciddevelopmentinfant sleepmaternal neglectserotonin transporter gene

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