Biomaterial Database

Beta-endorphin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of monkeys are influenced by grooming relationships. 1989

E B Keverne, and N D Martensz, and B Tuite

Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, U.K.

Social relationships are integral to the behaviour of many mammalian species. Primates are unusual in that their social relationships are extensive within groups, which often contain many reproductively active males and females. Several hypotheses have been forwarded to explain the ultimate causation of primate sociality. While attention has focused on grooming as a proximate factor influencing social relationships, the neural basis of such behaviour has not been investigated in monkeys. This report presents changes in the brain's opioid system contingent on grooming in monkeys. Opiates themselves have a feedback interaction with grooming behaviour, as revealed from the administration of opiate agonists and antagonists. Opiate receptor blockade increases the motivation to be groomed, while morphine administration decreases it. These data support the view that brain opioids play an important role in mediating social attachment and may provide the neural basis on which primate sociality has evolved.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011863	Radioimmunoassay	Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation.	Radioimmunoassays
D002520	Cercopithecidae	The family of Old World monkeys and baboons consisting of two subfamilies: CERCOPITHECINAE and COLOBINAE. They are found in Africa and part of Asia.	Catarrhina,Miopithecus talapoin,Monkey, Talapoin,Monkeys, Old World,Monkey, Old World,Old World Monkey,Old World Monkeys,Talapoin Monkey,Talapoin Monkeys,World Monkey, Old
D005260	Female		Females
D006120	Grooming	An animal's cleaning and caring for the body surface. This includes preening, the cleaning and oiling of feathers with the bill or of hair with the tongue.	Preening,Groomings,Preenings
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001615	beta-Endorphin	A 31-amino acid peptide that is the C-terminal fragment of BETA-LIPOTROPIN. It acts on OPIOID RECEPTORS and is an analgesic. Its first four amino acids at the N-terminal are identical to the tetrapeptide sequence of METHIONINE ENKEPHALIN and LEUCINE ENKEPHALIN.	Endorphin, beta,beta-Endorphin (1-31),beta Endorphin
D012919	Social Behavior	Any behavior caused by or affecting another individual or group usually of the same species.	Sociality,Behavior, Social,Behaviors, Social,Social Behaviors
D012931	Social Environment	The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community.	Social Context,Environment, Social,Social Ecology,Context, Social,Contexts, Social,Ecologies, Social,Ecology, Social,Environments, Social,Social Contexts,Social Ecologies,Social Environments
D012934	Social Isolation	The separation of individuals or groups resulting in the lack of or minimizing of social contact and/or communication. This separation may be accomplished by physical separation, by social barriers and by psychological mechanisms. In the latter, there may be interaction but no real communication.	Isolation, Social,Social Exclusion,Exclusion, Social,Social Exclusions