The impact of selective amygdala, orbital frontal cortex, or hippocampal formation lesions on established social relationships in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Full Abstract

Social dominance, personality ratings, and frequency, duration, and timing of social behaviors were measured pre- and postsurgically in 6 groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), each consisting of 1 sham-operated control and 1 monkey each with a selective amygdala, hippocampal, or orbital frontal cortex lesion. Unlike previous reports, none of the operated groups showed changes in social dominance postsurgery, although changes in other measures varied by lesion site. Although sham-operated monkeys displayed heightened avoidant, anxious, and aggressive behaviors, those with hippocampal lesions also showed increased exploration and excitability, along with reduced responses to affiliative signals. Amygdala lesions yielded several personality changes that precluded positive social interactions (increased exploration and excitability, decreased affiliation and popularity) and altered responses to threatening social signals. By contrast, monkeys with orbital frontal lesions were involved in more aggressive interactions and responded differently to both affiliative and threatening signals. Although several findings differ from earlier nonhuman primate studies, they are largely in agreement with human data and emphasize the context-specific nature of social behavior studies. Interpretation of results in relation to cognitive processes mediated by each structure is discussed.Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

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Author information

Author/s: Machado, Christopher J (CJ); Bachevalier, Jocelyne (J);

Affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, TX, USA. cjmachado(-atsign-)ucdavis.edu

Grants: HD-35471 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS) ; MH-58846 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS) ; MH-63577 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Behavioral neuroscience (Behav Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Aug; vol 120 (issue 4) : pp 761-86

Dates: Created 2006/08/08; Completed 2006/09/28; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16893284, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aggression
Amygdala - injuries; pathology; physiopathology
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Avoidance Learning
Behavior, Animal
Emotions
Frontal Lobe - injuries; pathology; physiopathology

Frontal Lobe - injuries; pathology; physiopathology
Hippocampus - injuries; pathology; physiopathology
Macaca mulatta - physiology; psychology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Reproducibility of Results
Social Behavior
Time Factors

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