Increased aggressive and affiliative display behavior in intrauterine growth restricted baboons. Issue 3 (16th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huber, Hillary F.; Ford, Susan M.; Bartlett, Thad Q.; Nathanielsz, Peter W.
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical primatology. Volume 44:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 157
• Publication Date: 2015-04-16
• Subjects: Primates -- Periodicals; Primates -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Medicine, Experimental -- Periodicals; 616.02738
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12172
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2565

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jmp12172-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jmp12172-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>We hypothesized intrauterine growth restricted offspring (IUGR) demonstrate higher rates of aggression and higher dominance ranks than control (CTR) offspring with normal weight at term; if aggressive behavior is advantageous during resource scarcity, developmental programming may lead to an association between aggression and IUGR.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12172-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We studied 22 group‐housed baboons (ages 3–5 years). CTR (male n = 8, female n = 5) mothers ate <italic>ad libitum</italic>. IUGR (male n = 4, female n = 5) mothers were fed 70% feed eaten by CTR mothers during pregnancy and lactation.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12172-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>IUGR showed higher rates of aggressive displays (<italic>P </italic><<italic> </italic>0.01) and friendly displays (<italic>P </italic><<italic> </italic>0.02). Dominance ranks and physical aggression rates did not differ between groups.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12172-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>High rates of IUGR aggressive display might reflect developmental programming of behavioral phenotypes enhancing fitness. Friendly displays may reflect reconciliation. Potential mechanisms include neurodevelopment and learning. Exploration of IUGR as a risk factor for behavioral patterns is important for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.</p> </sec> </abstract>