| Abstract: | Return of 6 juvenile rhesus monkeys to their natal social group following an absence of 18 weeks resulted in changes in cortisol levels and absolute numbers of lymphocyte subsets 24 hours later which were related to behaviors received during the 2 hours immediately following the return. Baseline blood samples were collected 1 week prier to the return and then at 24 hours, 1 week, and 4 weeks thereafter and hermonal and immune measurements were made. Six subjects, matched for age, sex, weight, and rank, which had remained in the social group also were evaluated. In contrast to those subjects which remained in the group (“in-group”), test subjects showed significantly higher cortisol levels and significantly lower absolute numbers of T-helper and T-suppresser cells 24 hours following return when compared to baseline values. There was a significant correlation between percent decline from baseline in absolute numbers of total T cells and total frequency of bites received during the 2 hours following return to the group (r = −0.85). Additionally, mothers of the test subjects showed a significantly greater increase in cortisol levels 24 hours following return than mothers of the in-group subjects. Finally, for the test subjects, there was near perfect negative correlation between absolute numbers of total T cells and cortisol levels 24 hours following return (r = −0.95). These data demonstrate that return to a social group may be stressful and that the specific individual behavioral interactions may predict physiological responses. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
