Citation

Veenema HC, Spruijt BM, Gispen WH, Van Hooff JA. Neurobiol. Aging 1997; 18(5): 509-515.

Affiliation

Ethology and Socio-ecology, Department of Comparative Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9390777

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the dominance history of socially housed Java-monkeys on the aging process. In monkeys, social subordinance is generally associated with elevated levels of cortisol, which, in turn, have been suggested to influence cognitive decline. As cognitive skills are necessary for successful social life, we investigated the effect of old age in relation to the dominance history of the animals on their social behavior by comparing old females with their younger daughters. Old age, especially in combination with a history of low rank, led to a withdrawal from social interactions with unfamiliar animals and to a decrease in amounts of aggression received. Still, however, old animals showed an increase in behaviors associated with arousal. A reduced ability to deal with complex social interactions, caused by a decline in information processing abilities, is suggested as an explanation for these results.

Language: en