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Published on: November 11, 2011
Aging, dominance history, and social behavior in Java-monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
H C Veenema1, B M Spruijt, W H Gispen
1Ethology and Socio-ecology, Department of Comparative Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Neurobiology of Aging
|December 9, 1997
Summary
Social dominance history impacts aging in Java monkeys. Old age, particularly with a low-rank history, leads to social withdrawal and increased arousal, suggesting cognitive decline affects social interactions.
Area of Science:
- Primate social behavior
- Gerontology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Social subordinance in monkeys is linked to elevated cortisol levels.
- Cortisol elevation is hypothesized to contribute to cognitive decline.
- Cognitive abilities are crucial for maintaining social relationships in primates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how dominance history influences the aging process in Java monkeys.
- To investigate the effects of advanced age and past social rank on social behavior.
- To compare the social behavior of aged female Java monkeys with their younger offspring.
Main Methods:
- Observational study comparing aged female Java monkeys with their younger daughters.
- Analysis of social behavior, including interactions with unfamiliar individuals and aggression received.
- Assessment of behaviors indicative of arousal and social withdrawal.
Main Results:
- Advanced age, particularly when combined with a history of low social rank, correlated with reduced social interaction with unfamiliar monkeys.
- Old monkeys exhibited a decrease in the amount of aggression they received.
- Despite social withdrawal, old animals displayed an increase in behaviors associated with arousal.
Conclusions:
- Aging in Java monkeys, especially those with a subordinate past, results in altered social engagement.
- A decline in information processing abilities may underlie reduced capacity for complex social interactions in aged monkeys.
- Social dominance history is a significant factor modulating the aging phenotype in socially housed primates.
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