Effects of early adverse experiences on behavioural lateralisation in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).
In the past 15 to 20 years, evidence of population-level handedness in non-human primates has emerged from a plethora of studies, although considerable inconsistency is also apparent. The study reported here examined two factors that may contribute to the expression of hand preference: early rearing history and sex differences. Handedness was assessed in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) using a task that measures coordinated bimanual actions and is referred to as the TUBE task. Nursery-reared monkeys demonstrated greater left-hand bias in the TUBE task when compared to their mother-reared counterparts. Females showed greater right-hand preference and stronger bias on the TUBE task compared to males. These results provide evidence that early rearing experiences significantly influence the development of lateralisation in nonhuman primates.
Bennett
Allyson J
AJ
Department of Physiology/Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. abennett@wfubmc.edu
Suomi
Stephen J
SJ
Hopkins
William D
WD
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment