Intergenerational transmission of maternal behavior in rhesus macaques and its underlying mechanisms

Abstract

Thirteen group-living rhesus macaque females that were crossfostered shortly after birth were followed longitudinally until they gave birth for the first time. Their maternal behavior was compared to the behavior of both their foster and their biological mothers, and analyzed in relation to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine metabolites (5-HIAA, HVA, and MHPG) measured in their second year of life. Crossfostered females were similar to their foster mothers in their rates of maternal rejection and grooming, whereas their contact-making behavior was more similar to that of their biological mothers. Crossfostered females with lower CSF concentrations of 5-HIAA exhibited higher rates of maternal rejection than females with higher CSF 5-HIAA. In a related article (Maestripieri et al., 2006), we reported that rhesus infants reared by highly rejecting mothers had lower CSF 5-HIAA in their first 3 years of life. Taken together, these findings suggest that early social experience and experience-related long-term changes in serotonergic function may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of maternal rejection from mothers to daughters. ß 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 165-171, 2007.

Chapter 5 Insights for Behavioral Ecology from Behavioral Syndromes

“…Variation among mothers influences their offspring's anxiety and fearfulness, eventually influencing the way these offspring behave as parents (Maestripieri et al, 2006). Cross fostering experiments have shown that these effects are also nongenetic, probably mediated by serotonergic transmission (Maestripieri et al, 2007).…”

Sex differences in learning the allocation of social grooming in infant stumptailed macaques

“…Primate mothers are recognized as a main referential model for a diversity of socially learned or reinforced behaviours (Altmann, 1980;Horvat & Kraemer, 1981;Wallen et al, 1981;Fairbanks & McGuire, 1986;Fairbanks, 1989;Berman, 1990Berman, , 2004McGrew, 1992;Tanaka, 1995;Huffman, 1996;de Waal, 1996;Berman et al, 1997;Tanaka, 1998;Berman & Kapsalis, 1999;Drapier & Thierry, 2002;Maestripieri, 2003;Weaver & de Waal, 2003;Lonsdorf et al, 2004;Schino et al, 2004;Weaver et al, 2004;Lonsdorf, 2005Lonsdorf, , 2006Suomi, 2005;Maestripieri et al, 2007). Mother-offspring attachment including close proximity provide the confidence and visual opportunities to use mother as a model, even if this might perpetuate behaviour of low efficiency (Tanaka, 1995(Tanaka, , 1998Drapier & Thierry, 2002) or abusive mothering styles prone to reduce fitness (Fairbanks, 1989;Berman, 1990;Maestripieri, 2003;Maestripieri et al, 2007).…”

“…Mother-offspring attachment including close proximity provide the confidence and visual opportunities to use mother as a model, even if this might perpetuate behaviour of low efficiency (Tanaka, 1995(Tanaka, , 1998Drapier & Thierry, 2002) or abusive mothering styles prone to reduce fitness (Fairbanks, 1989;Berman, 1990;Maestripieri, 2003;Maestripieri et al, 2007). As infants age, they are able to modify behaviour learned from mothers by using other models such as peers (Wallen et al, 1981;Berman, 1982;Ehardt & Bernstein, 1987;Lee & Johnson, 1992;Huffman, 1996;de Waal, 1996;Suomi, 2005;Leca et al, 2007) or by independent learning (Berman & Kapsalis, 1999).…”

Understanding Resilience

“…These changes are reflected in abnormally high anxiety levels, increased HPA axis activity, and increased basal CRH levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Strome et al, 2002;Claes, 2004;McCormack et al, 2006). It is important to note that non-human primates, who have suffered childhood abuse, resulting in damaged stress response systems, may be more likely to abuse their own children (Maestripieri et al, 2007). In this way, the cycle of abuse is continued through generations.…”