Maternal age, parity, and reproductive outcome in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Roof, Katherine A.; Hopkins, William D.; Izard, Michel; Hook, Michelle A.; Schapiro, Steven J.

doi:10.1002/ajp.20177

Cited by 34 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…2a). This \age-order distinction" resembles many univariate analyses for birth weights of humans and chimpanzees, which also showed significant correlations with birth order but not maternal age (Fessler et al, 2005), but see (Roof et al, 2005). In our results, the age-order distinction arose because mothers had long a SBI when they reached a given birth order at a relatively young age (Table 3a).…”

Section: Multiparous Femalessupporting

confidence: 58%

Age-related patterns of reproductive success among female mountain gorillas

Robbins

Gerald-Steklis

et al. 2006

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

101

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A key goal of life history theory is to explain the effects of age and parity on the reproductive success of iteroparous organisms. Age-related patterns may be influenced by changes in maternal experience or physical condition, and they may reflect maternal investment trade-offs between current versus future reproduction. This article examines the influences of age and parity upon the interbirth intervals (IBI), offspring survival, and birth rates of 66 female mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcano region from 1967-2004. Fertility was relatively low for females below age 12; improved as they matured; and then declined as they aged further. Primiparous mothers had 50% higher offspring mortality and 20% longer IBI than second-time mothers, though only the difference with IBI was statistically significant. The length of subsequent IBI was positively correlated with birth order but not with the mother's age. Mountain gorillas showed no evidence of an extended postreproductive lifespan. Age-related patterns seem most likely to reflect changes in the physical condition of the mother, but more detailed studies are needed to quantify those physical differences, and to obtain behavioral evidence that would provide more direct measures of maternal investment and experience.

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Section: Multiparous Femalessupporting

confidence: 58%

Age-related patterns of reproductive success among female mountain gorillas

Robbins

Gerald-Steklis

et al. 2006

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

101

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“…Follicle stocks decline with age at the same rate in chimpanzees and humans (Jones et al, 2007); and, like us, they can have last pregnancies into their forties (Roof et al, 2005; Emery Thompson et al, 2007). But chimpanzees display geriatric symptoms in their thirties (Goodall, 1986; Huffman, 1990; Nishida et al, 2003; Matsuzawa, 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 78%

Brief communication: Adrenal androgens and aging: Female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) compared with women

Blevins

Coxworth

Herndon

et al. 2013

American J Phys Anthropol

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Ovarian cycling continues to similar ages in women and chimpanzees yet our nearest living cousins become decrepit during their fertile years and rarely outlive them. Given the importance of estrogen in maintaining physiological systems aside from fertility, similar ovarian aging in humans and chimpanzees combined with somatic aging differences indicates an important role for nonovarian estrogen. Consistent with this framework, researchers have nominated the adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEAS), which can be peripherally converted to estrogen, as a biomarker of aging in humans and other primates. Faster decline in production of this steroid with age in chimpanzees could help explain somatic aging differences. Here, we report circulating levels of DHEAS in captive female chimpanzees and compare them with published levels in women. Instead of faster, the decline is slower in chimpanzees, but from a much lower peak. Levels reported for other great apes are lower still. These results point away from slowed decline but toward increased DHEAS production as one of the mechanisms underlying the evolution of human longevity.

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“…By contrast, though menopause occurs in many nonhuman primate species (Walker and Herndon, 2008), reproductive senescence coincides with the end of the lifespan, occurring at approximately the same time or shortly thereafter (Walker and Herndon, 2008). With specific regard to chimpanzees, though older females show reduction in reproductive fecundity (Roof et al, 2005), the complete cessation of ovulation and menses prior to death is rare (Alberts et al, 2013; Atsalis and Videan, 2009; Herndon and Lacreuse, 2009; Herndon et al, 2012; Lacreuse et al, 2008; Videan et al, 2006). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-related effects in the neocortical organization of chimpanzees: Gray and white matter volume, cortical thickness, and gyrification

et al. 2014

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Among primates, humans exhibit the most profound degree of age-related brain volumetric decline in particular regions, such as the hippocampus and the frontal lobe. Recent studies have shown that our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, experience little to no volumetric decline in gray and white matter over the adult lifespan. However, these previous studies were limited with a small sample of chimpanzees of the most advanced ages. In the present study, we sought to further test for potential age-related decline in cortical organization in chimpanzees by expanding the sample size of aged chimpanzees. We used the BrainVisa software to measure total brain volume, gray and white matter volumes, gray matter thickness, and gyrification index in a cross-sectional sample of 219 captive chimpanzees (8-53 years old), with 38 subjects being 40 or more years of age. Mean depth and cortical fold opening of 11 major sulci of the chimpanzee brains were also measured. We found that chimpanzees showed increased gyrification with age and a cubic relationship between age and white matter volume. For the association between age and sulci depth and width, the results were mostly non-significant with the exception of one negative correlation between age and the fronto-orbital sulcus. In short, results showed that chimpanzees exhibit few age-related changes in global cortical organization, sulci folding and sulci width. These findings support previous studies and the theory that the age-related changes in the human brain is due to an extended lifespan.

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Maternal age, parity, and reproductive outcome in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Cited by 34 publications

References 25 publications

Age-related patterns of reproductive success among female mountain gorillas

Age-related patterns of reproductive success among female mountain gorillas

Brief communication: Adrenal androgens and aging: Female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) compared with women

Age-related effects in the neocortical organization of chimpanzees: Gray and white matter volume, cortical thickness, and gyrification

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