Behavior of nursery/peer-reared and mother-reared rhesus monkeys from birth through 2 years of age

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The behavior of 8 nursery/peer-reared and 16 mother-only reared rhesus macaques was observed between birth and 5 months of age, with follow-up studies conducted when the animals were 10-21 months old and living !n large social groups. Nursery-reared neonates were more awake, active, and irritable than mother-only reared monkeys. From 1 to 5 months of age the nursery/peer-reared animals exhibited a greater variety of behaviors than the mother-only reared infants, which spent the majority of the time in ventral contact with mothers. As juveniles the groups were indistinguishable with the exception of more self-directed behaviors observed in the nursery/peer-reared monkeys. Both rearing conditions, by virtue of their atypicality, imposed restrictions on social development. The behavioral similarity of the juveniles while in the large social group may be a function of maturation or due to the rehabilitative effect of the large social group.

Rearing Effects on Cerebrospinal Fluid Oxytocin Concentration and Social Buffering in Rhesus Monkeys

“…The deficits appear less severe than those associated with rearing in social isolation, but nevertheless reflect significant and persistent impairment in social, cognitive, and emotional behavior for these animals (Champoux et al, 1992;Sackett, 1967;Suomi, 1991). Social deficits appear to be only partially reversible with intensive socialization with normally reared peers and appear to present a significant risk factor for impaired performance in stress-provocative environments (Champoux et al, 1991;Fahlke et al, 2000;Shannon et al, 1998). Our findings are consistent with previous reports and confirm that deficits in positive social interactions by NR monkeys are particularly evident in reciprocal behaviors such as allogrooming and intermale mounting.…”

“…As a particularly close model of this human syndrome, rhesus monkeys reared in a nursery away from the mother manifest deficits in social interaction and increased self-directed behaviors. First described by Harlow (Harlow et al, 1955;Harlow and Harlow, 1962;Harlow and Suomi, 1974), many laboratories have replicated the social behavior deficits of rhesus monkeys raised in a nursery (Champoux et al, 1991;Sackett, 1984;Suomi et al, 1971). …”

Maternal deprivation and the development of stereotypic behaviour

“…Stereotypic behaviour levels also remained elevated for a number of months after housing conditions were normalised, at least as far as they could be given these animals' social deficits. Other less extreme studies have since found similar long-term increases in stereotypic behaviours and self-directed behaviours in peer-reared rhesus macaques and chimpanzees, particularly in those individuals reared in incubators during the first few months of life (see Champoux et al, 1991;Spijkerman et al, 1994;Bloomsmith et al, 2002). Interestingly, primates confiscated from touring zoos and circuses, which possibly experience more early social and environmental deprivation than those reared in 'recognized' zoos, also exhbit higher levels of abnormal behaviour than those reared in 'recognized' zoos (Mallapur and Choudhury, 2003;Mallapur, 2005).…”

Physiological responses to parental separation and a strange situation are related to parental care received in juvenile Goeldi's monkeys(Callimico goeldii)

“…As demonstrated by a number of studies, summarized below, early social experiences impact longitudinally on the responses of primates to environmental challenges. Even under familiar and predictable conditions, young hand-reared and peerreared rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) demonstrate marked differences in activity, exploration, and self-directed behavior when compared to motherreared conspecifics (Champoux, Metz, & Suomi, 1991). Behavioral response to the challenge of separation is strongly related to the object of primary attachment -biological versus surrogate motherwhen manipulative experimental designs are used.…”