AGING, DOMINANCE HISTORY, AND SOCIAL-BEHAVIOR IN JAVA-MONKEYS (MACACA-FASCICULARIS)

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the dominanc e history of socially housed Java-monkeys on the aging process. In mon keys, social subordinance is generally associated with elevated levels of cortisol, which, in turn, have been suggested to influence cogniti ve decline. As cognitive skills are necessary for successful social li fe, we investigated the effect of old age in relation to the dominance history of the animals on their social behavior by comparing old fema les with their younger daughters. Old age, especially in combination w ith a history of low rank, led to a withdrawal from social interaction s with unfamiliar animals and to a decrease in amounts of aggression r eceived. Still, however, old animals showed an increase in behaviors a ssociated with arousal. A reduced ability to deal with complex social interactions, caused by a decline in information processing abilities, is suggested as an explanation for these results. (C) 1997 Elsevier S cience Inc.