Cited by 174Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorPrimate Behavior and EcologyStress Responses and Cortisol

Mother–infant interactions in free-ranging rhesus macaques: Relationships between physiological and behavioral variables

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Maestripieri, Dario, Hoffman, Christy L., Anderson, George M., Carter, C. Sue, Higley, James D.·2009·Physiology & Behavior

Abstract

Studies of mother-infant relationships in nonhuman primates have increasingly attempted to understand the neuroendocrine bases of interindividual variation in mothering styles and the mechanisms through which early exposure to variable mothering styles affects infant behavioral development. In this study of free-ranging rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, we aimed to: 1) compare lactating and nonlactating females to investigate whether lactation is associated with changes in plasma cortisol, prolactin and oxytocin, as well as changes in CSF levels of serotonin and dopamine metabolites (5-HIAA and HVA); 2) examine the extent to which interindividual variation in maternal physiology is associated with variation in maternal behavior; 3) examine the extent to which interindividual variation in infant physiology and behavior is accounted for by variation in maternal physiology and behavior. Lactating females had higher plasma concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, and oxytocin but lower CSF concentrations of HVA than nonlactating females. Variation in maternal rejection behavior was positively correlated with variation in maternal plasma cortisol levels and in CSF 5-HIAA levels while variation in the time spent nursing and grooming was associated with maternal plasma oxytocin levels. Infants who were protected more by their mothers had higher cortisol levels than those who were protected less, while infants who were rejected more had lower CSF 5-HIAA than infants who were rejected less. Since exposure to high levels of maternal protectiveness and rejection is known to affect the offspring's behavior and responsiveness to the environment later in life, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that these effects are mediated by long-term changes in the activity of the offspring's HPA axis and brain serotonergic system.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.12.016

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  • Peripheral measures of oxytocin from plasma or urine correlate positively with psychological and behavioural patterns, indicating that peripheral oxytocin levels reflect central processing of oxytocin.

    “Significantly, peripheral measures of oxytocin from plasma or urine correlate positively with psychological and behavioural patterns, such as aversion reduction in male mice [19], social contact in marmosets [40], lactation in rhesus macaques [41], rates of affiliative behaviours in pair-bonded tamarins [42] and grooming in closely bonded chimpanzees [15], indicating that peripheral oxytocin level”
  • Composite measures of mothers' suckling and grooming rates with offspring over a 3-month period correlated positively with one-off plasma oxytocin samples in rhesus macaques.

    “Also, composite measures of mothers' suckling and grooming rates with offspring collected over a 3-month period correlated positively with one-off plasma oxytocin samples in rhesus macaques (Maestripieri et al., 2009).”
  • Congruent patterns are observed when linking social behaviors to endogenous measures of oxytocin in plasma, urine or saliva in non-human primates and humans.

    “Congruent patterns are observed when linking social behaviors to endogenous measures of oxytocin in plasma, urine or saliva in non-human primates (Seltzer and Ziegler, 2007; Maestripieri et al., 2009; Snowdon et al., 2010; Crockford et al., 2013) and humans (Christensson et al., 1989; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008; Morhenn et al., 2008; Gordon et al., 2010).”
  • In free-ranging Rhesus Macaques, plasma OT is related to increased nursing and grooming.

    “and in free-ranging Rhesus Macaques, plasma OT is related to increased nursing and grooming (17).”

    From Oxytocin and the development of parenting in humans (2010) · cites this paper as [17]

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [3]Altmann J Baboons mothers and infants Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press 1980
  2. [6]Fairbanks LA Parenting Maestripieri D Primate psychology Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press 2003 144 70
  3. [69]Higley JD Aggression Maestripieri D Primate psychology Cambridge Harvard University Press 2003 17 40

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Authors
Maestripieri, D., Hoffman, C. L., Anderson, G. M., Carter, C. S., & Higley, J. D.
Affiliations
  • University of Chicago (US)
  • Yale University (US)
  • University of Illinois Chicago (US)
  • Brigham Young University (US)
Venue
Physiology & Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-03
Volume
96
Issue
4-5
Pages
613-619
ISSN
0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2081938346
Cited by
174
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 12
FWCI
11.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (R21AG029862)
  • National Cancer Institute (CM-5-P40RR003640)
  • National Center for Research Resources (P40RR003640)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
mother-infant relationship, rhesus monkeys, lactation, maternal behavior, maternal rejection, plasma cortisol, prolactin, oxytocin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, dopamine metabolites, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, serotonergic system, infant cortisol, interindividual variability
MeSH terms
Analysis of Variance, Animals, Female, Homovanillic Acid, Hydrocortisone, Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid, Lactation, Macaca mulatta, Maternal Behavior, Neurosecretory Systems, Oxytocin, Prolactin, Social Behavior, Statistics, Nonparametric

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