EFFECTS OF STRESSFUL EVENTS IN SINGLY- VS PAIR-HOUSED ADULT MALE MACAQUES

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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. Background and aims: Social housing for captive nonhuman primates has been shown to reduce the frequency of abnormal behavior and to increase species-typical behavior. In addition, previous research at the Tulane National Primate Research Center using male rhesus macaques implanted with telemetry devices has shown that physiological parameters correspond to the behavioral parameters of successful social introductions. The purpose of this ongoing study is to examine the long-term effects of social introduction by measuring, via physiological and behavioral means, the potential of social housing to act as a buffer to stressful events. Methods: The monkeys are first implanted with telemetry devices. They are initially housed singly, and during this phase, both behavioral and physiological data are collected during 30-minute focal animal samples. During this time, potentially stressful events that occur as part of the monkeys' daily routine are documented with physiological and behavioral parameters. The monkeys are then paired, and once they are in settled social pairs, the data collection as described above is repeated. Results: Eight M. mulatta were enrolled on the study. Behavioral and psychological data have been collected on all subjects and are currently being analyzed. Conclusion: With the results of this study, we will determine whether social buffering during stressful events can be considered an additional benefit to the well-being of socially-housed laboratory nonhuman primates. This is important in research because both physiological and behavioral parameters can affect the outcome of data during a study.