Social status, glucocorticoids, immune function, and health: Can animal studies help us understand human socioeconomic-status-related health disparities?

Cavigelli, Sonia A.; Chaudhry, Hashim S.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.07.006

Cited by 53 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 207 publications

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“…Chronically elevated glucocorticoid levels in response to aggression received from group mates is a major cost of group living for subordinates in many mammals (19,(49)(50)(51)59). Several studies, however, failed to replicate the negative effect of aggression received on an individual's physiological stress level (55,(60)(61)(62)(63).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Male macaques cooperate frequently with bonded male partners in agonistic coalitions (35,37,71,72). Thus, as in humans and other mammals, individuals with strong social bonds may benefit from greater social support from other group members (4,6,7,59). Conversely, individuals that form only weak social relationships may react to stressors more strongly, for example via impairing the regulatory function of the HPA axis (6,7,59).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, as in humans and other mammals, individuals with strong social bonds may benefit from greater social support from other group members (4,6,7,59). Conversely, individuals that form only weak social relationships may react to stressors more strongly, for example via impairing the regulatory function of the HPA axis (6,7,59). Dysregulation of the HPA axis increases susceptibility to disease (73,74).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Responses to social and environmental stress are attenuated by strong male bonds in wild macaques

Young

Majolo

Heistermann

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

199

168

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In humans and obligatory social animals, individuals with weak social ties experience negative health and fitness consequences. The social buffering hypothesis conceptualises one possible mediating mechanism: during stressful situations the presence of close social partners buffers against the adverse effects of increased physiological stress levels. We tested this hypothesis using data on social (rate of aggression received) and environmental (low temperatures) stressors in wild male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) in Morocco. These males form strong, enduring, and equitable affiliative relationships similar to human friendships. We tested the effect of the strength of a male’s top three social bonds on his faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels as a function of the stressors’ intensity. The attenuating effect of stronger social bonds on physiological stress increased both with increasing rates of aggression received and with decreasing minimum daily temperature. Ruling out thermoregulatory and immediate effects of social interactions on fGCM levels, our results indicate that male Barbary macaques employ a tend-and-befriend coping strategy in the face of increased environmental as well as social day-to-day stressors. This evidence of a stress-ameliorating effect of social bonding among males under natural conditions and beyond the mother-offspring, kin or pair bond broadens the generality of the social buffering hypothesis

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Responses to social and environmental stress are attenuated by strong male bonds in wild macaques

Young

Majolo

Heistermann

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

199

168

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…[84][85][86][87] We used focus groups with young adults who grew up in economically distressed urban communities to capture these stressful experiences. Study findings suggest that ACEs research should be broadened to include stressors experienced by youth in low-income urban settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse Childhood Experiences of Low-Income Urban Youth

Wade¹,

et al. 2014

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Current assessments of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may not adequately encompass the breadth of adversity to which low-income urban children are exposed. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the range of adverse childhood experiences faced by young adults who grew up in a low-income urban area. METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with young adults who grew up in low-income Philadelphia neighborhoods. Using the nominal group technique, participants generated a list of adverse childhood experiences and then identified the 5 most stressful experiences on the group list. The most stressful experiences identified by participants were grouped into a ranked list of domains and subdomains. RESULTS: Participants identified a range of experiences, grouped into 10 domains: family relationships, community stressors, personal victimization, economic hardship, peer relationships, discrimination, school, health, child welfare/juvenile justice, and media/technology. Included in these domains were many but not all of the experiences from the initial ACEs studies; parental divorce/separation and mental illness were absent. Additional experiences not included in the initial ACEs but endorsed by our participants included single-parent homes; exposure to violence, adult themes, and criminal behavior; personal victimization; bullying; economic hardship; and discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: Gathering youth perspectives on childhood adversity broadens our understanding of the experience of stress and trauma in childhood. Future work is needed to determine the significance of this broader set of adverse experiences in predisposing children to poor health outcomes as adults.

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“…Among the most common problems caused by long-term elevated glucocorticoid levels are immune suppression, atrophy of tissue, reproductive suppression, gastric ulcers, and muscle wasting [18]–[21]. Furthermore, species with slow life histories, such as primates, may be particularly strongly impacted by lost reproductive opportunities resulting from chronic stress [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Degradation and Seasonality Affect Physiological Stress Levels of Eulemur collaris in Littoral Forest Fragments

et al. 2014

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The littoral forest on sandy soil is among the most threatened habitats in Madagascar and, as such, it represents a hot-spot within a conservation hot-spot. Assessing the health of the resident lemur fauna is not only critical for the long-term viability of these populations, but also necessary for the future re-habilitation of this unique habitat. Since the Endangered collared brown lemur, Eulemur collaris, is the largest seed disperser of the Malagasy south-eastern littoral forest its survival in this habitat is crucial. In this study we compared fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels, a measure of physiological stress and potential early indicator of population health, between groups of collared brown lemurs living in a degraded forest fragment and groups occurring in a more preserved area. For this, we analysed 279 fecal samples collected year-round from 4 groups of collared brown lemurs using a validated 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay and tested if fGCM levels were influenced by reproductive stages, phenological seasons, sex, and habitat degradation. The lemurs living in the degraded forest had significantly higher fGCM levels than those living in the more preserved area. In particular, the highest fGCM levels were found during the mating season in all animals and in females during gestation in the degraded forest. Since mating and gestation are both occurring during the lean season in the littoral forest, these results likely reflect a combination of ecological and reproductive pressures. Our findings provide a clear indication that habitat degradation has additive effects to the challenges found in the natural habitat. Since increased stress hormone output may have long-term negative effects on population health and reproduction, our data emphasize the need for and may add to the development of effective conservation plans for the species.

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Social status, glucocorticoids, immune function, and health: Can animal studies help us understand human socioeconomic-status-related health disparities?

Cited by 53 publications

References 207 publications

Responses to social and environmental stress are attenuated by strong male bonds in wild macaques

Responses to social and environmental stress are attenuated by strong male bonds in wild macaques

Adverse Childhood Experiences of Low-Income Urban Youth

Habitat Degradation and Seasonality Affect Physiological Stress Levels of Eulemur collaris in Littoral Forest Fragments

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