Post by Lex Hurley on Sept 19, 2016 19:07:21 GMT
In Unnatural Causes's discussion of the health effects of chronic stress on health (specifically cardiovascular health and vascular sclerosis) in controlled environments using data and records collected from Rhesus macaques, they showed distinct relationships between a male's position in the social hierarchy and their cardiovascular health. As a refresher, dominant macaques make it a hobby to repeatedly harass their subordinates in their group; which in turn grossly increases their resting levels of cortisol due to chronic stress. When examining cardiac MRI scans from a dominant and subordinate macaque, the level of arterial sclerotic plaques present in the subordinate's arteries were much higher than those of the dominate macaque -- even with all issues such as diet being held constant.
What this example didn't talk about were the possibilities of excess stress on the alpha male of the group; which has been demonstrated several times among wild baboons. Most primates have social hierarchical systems of some type (both in monkey and ape species), however baboons are infamous for their rigid and often violent maintenance of social hierarchical structures. Through investigations into the biochemical impacts of life under these conditions, researchers discovered an interesting trend:
You'd expect the leader of the pack to have the lowest levels of cortisol ever, right? Nope. The power-hungry #2 and #3 ranking baboons are constantly trying to wound or usurp their beloved leader out of power to seize for themselves, and the constant day-to-day stress of this actually makes the alpha dominate male fair about as well off health-wise as the subordinate males. I'm very curious to see if Rhesus macaques behave this same way as well and it just wasn't mentioned in the documentary to save time or if this is a unique trait that again relates chronic daily stress to physical health outcomes.
1) Gesquiere LR, Learn NH, Simao MCM, Onyango PO, Alberts SC, Altmann J. Life at the top: rank and stress in wild male baboons. Science (New York, NY). 2011;333(6040):357-360. doi:10.1126/science.1207120.
What this example didn't talk about were the possibilities of excess stress on the alpha male of the group; which has been demonstrated several times among wild baboons. Most primates have social hierarchical systems of some type (both in monkey and ape species), however baboons are infamous for their rigid and often violent maintenance of social hierarchical structures. Through investigations into the biochemical impacts of life under these conditions, researchers discovered an interesting trend:
- Subordinate males exhibited low levels of resting testosterone and high levels of cortisol
- Dominant males exhibited high levels of resting testosterone and low levels of cortisol
- Alpha dominant males (the singular head leader of each group or 'pack' of baboons) exhibited high levels of resting testosterone and high levels of cortisol!1
You'd expect the leader of the pack to have the lowest levels of cortisol ever, right? Nope. The power-hungry #2 and #3 ranking baboons are constantly trying to wound or usurp their beloved leader out of power to seize for themselves, and the constant day-to-day stress of this actually makes the alpha dominate male fair about as well off health-wise as the subordinate males. I'm very curious to see if Rhesus macaques behave this same way as well and it just wasn't mentioned in the documentary to save time or if this is a unique trait that again relates chronic daily stress to physical health outcomes.
