title: Primate evidence on the late health effects of early-life adversity.
abstract: This paper exploits a unique ongoing experiment to analyze the effects of early rearing conditions on physical and mental health in a sample of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). We analyze the health records of 231 monkeys that were randomly allocated at birth across three rearing conditions: mother rearing, peer rearing, and surrogate peer rearing. We show that the lack of a secure attachment relationship in the early years engendered by adverse rearing conditions has detrimental long-term effects on health that are not compensated for by a normal social environment later in life.
authors.affiliation: The Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. gconti@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hansman
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heckman
authors.forename: Matthew F X
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Suomi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D019370:Observation; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*