This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Maternal behavior in primates is a complex process, involving a number of physiological and life history variables. This study is the first to include behavioral, life history, endocrine, and genetic data from a large number of nonhuman primate subjects in the determination of factors related to maternal behavior. The project will increase our knowledge of the heritable nature of variation in maternal behavior, will characterize mothers with poor maternal qualities, and will provide information useful for selecting females used in breeding programs. This project generates behavioral and hormonal profiles to be used in the development of the baboon as a model of maternal behavior by quantifying mother-infant interactions, determining infant outcome, and measuring hormone levels in a large sample of captive baboons. It will then examine the causes of variation in maternal behavior, including hormonal, experiential, and genetic factors. It is expected that the information resulting from this study will lead to new avenues of research on the mechanisms involved in the regulation of maternal behavior, as will as providing a model for related studies in reproductive endocrinology, colony management and behavioral research.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 444 publications
