DEVELOPMENT CONSEQUENCES OF INFANT ABUSE IN PRIMATES

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project investigates the behavioral and neuroendocrine development of rhesus macaque infants who are abused by their mothers and their nonabused controls. In this year of the project, we completed our behavioral and neuroendocrine data for all subjects. Neuroendocrine measures included plasma cortisol levels under baseline conditions, following a novelty test, and in response to dexamethasone, CRH challenge, and ACTH stimulation test. CSF levels of corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH) and monoamine metabolites were also monitored. We have published some of our behavioral data documenting the early experience of abused and nonabused infants and indicating that early experience has long-lasting consequences for development including the occurrence of abusive behavior in adulthood. We have also published preliminary hormonal data suggesting that some of these developmental effects of early experience are associated with long-term alterations of hormones of the HPA axis.