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A Comparison of Serotonin Transporter-Immunoreactive Axons in the Amygdala Among Macaques

Jones, Danielle N
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent152455306697775

Abstract Details

2018, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Anthropology.
Among the 23 macaque species that constitute the genus Macaca, a high level of behavioral diversity has been observed, particularly related to aggressiveness. To investigate the neural underpinnings of variation in aggressiveness among species, we compared serotonergic innervation of the amygdala among four species. The amygdala plays a prominent role in emotional processing and social intelligence. Additionally, central serotonin (5HT) availability and aggressive behavior have been found to be inversely related in humans and nonhuman primates. Our study sample included left hemisphere brain sections containing the amygdala from 19 individuals of the following species: rhesus (M. mulatta) n = 6, Japanese (M. fuscata) n = 2, pigtailed (M. nemestrina) n = 6, and moor (M. maura) n = 5. Four amygdaloid nuclei were examined: the lateral, basal, accessory basal, and central. We used immunohistochemical methods to stain for serotonin transporter (SERT) and quantified SERT-immunoreactive axon density using a stereological approach. Based on evidence that suggests increased central 5HT signaling functions to inhibit aggressive behavior, we hypothesized that the greatest amount of innervation would exist in the least aggressive, most egalitarian species, the moor macaque. However, in contrast to this prediction, our results reveled a significantly greater amount of innervation in the more aggressive, hierarchical species, the Japanese and pigtailed macaques, relative to the moor macaque. These findings suggest that, unlike what has been reported in a similar comparative study between the more aggressive chimpanzee and the relatively tolerant bonobo, increased serotonergic innervation at the amygdala in macaques may not be associated with more affiliative, egalitarian social styles. The implications of our findings are discussed in a larger evolutionary framework.
Mary Ann Raghanti (Advisor)
Anthony Tosi (Committee Member)
Richard Meindl (Committee Member)
41 p.
Neurobiology

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Citations

  • Jones, D. N. (2018). A Comparison of Serotonin Transporter-Immunoreactive Axons in the Amygdala Among Macaques [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent152455306697775

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jones, Danielle. A Comparison of Serotonin Transporter-Immunoreactive Axons in the Amygdala Among Macaques . 2018. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent152455306697775.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jones, Danielle. "A Comparison of Serotonin Transporter-Immunoreactive Axons in the Amygdala Among Macaques ." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent152455306697775

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent152455306697775
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© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.