Report
Beta-endorphin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of monkeys are influenced by grooming relationships

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(89)90065-6Get rights and content

Abstract

Social relationships are integral to the behaviour of many mammalian species. Primates are unusual in that their social relationships are extensive within groups, which often contain many reproductively active males and females. Several hypotheses have been forwarded to explain the ultimate causation of primate sociality. While attention has focused on grooming as a proximate factor influencing social relationships, the neural basis of such behaviour has not been investigated in monkeys. This report presents changes in the brain's opioid system contingent on grooming in monkeys. Opiates themselves have a feedback interaction with grooming behaviour, as revealed from the administration of opiate agonists and antagonists. Opiate receptor blockade increases the motivation to be groomed, while morphine administration decreases it. These data support the view that brain opioids play an important role in mediating social attachment and may provide the neural basis on which primate sociality has evolved.

References (28)

  • T.H. Clutton Brock et al.

    Primate ecology and social organisation

    J Zool

    (1977)
  • R.A. Hinde

    Description of the proximate factors influencing social structure

  • E.B. Keverne et al.

    Social influences on sex differences in the behaviour and endocrine state of talapoin monkeys

    Progr Brain Res

    (1985)
  • H. Kummer
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text