Abstract
The associations among twelve behaviors and three potential peripheral markers of central serotonergic activity were investigated in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus). The behaviors monitored included approach, heterogroom, rest, eat, avoid, be solitary, be vigilant, huddle, initiate aggress, receive aggress, and engage in sexual behavior. The biochemical parameters measured were whole blood serotonin, plasma free tryptophan, and plasma total tryptophan. Throughout the study period, intraindividual variability in both the behavioral and the biochemical measures was small, although there was substantial interindividual variability in both sets of measures. Free and total tryptophan correlated positively with approach, heterogroom, and eat, and inversely with avoid and be solitary. Whole blood serotonin correlated inversely with avoid and be solitary. These data are compatible with previously reported observations on the behavioral consequences of manipulating serotonergic systems in vervet monkeys and suggest that in normal, drug naive monkeys, free and total tryptophan are better correlates of the central serotonergic activity influencing behavior than is whole blood serotonin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bloxam DL, Curzon G (1978) A study of proposed determinants of brain tryptophan concentration in rats after portocaval anastomosis or sham operation. J Neurochem 31:1255–1263
Boelkins RC (1973) Effects of parachlorophenylalanine on the behavior of monkeys. In: Barchas JD, Usdin E (eds) Serotonin and Behavior. Academic Press, New York, pp 357–364
Denckla WD, Dewey DK (1967) The determination of tryptophan in plasma, liver and urine. J Lab Clin Med 69:160–169
Fernstrom JD, Hirsch MJ, Faller DV (1976) Tryptophan concentrations in rat brain: failure to correlate with serum free tryptophan or its ratio to the sum of other neutral amino acids. Biochem J 160:589–595
Fernstrom JD, Wurtman RJ (1971) Brain serotonin content: physiological dependence on plasma tryptophan levels. Science 173:149–152
Hanley HG, Shahl SM, Freedman DX (1977) Hyperserotonemia and amine metabolism in autistic and retarded children. Arch Gen Psychiatry 34:521–531
Jequier E, Robinson DS, Lovenberg W, Sjoerdsma A (1969) Further studies on tryptophan hydroxylase in rat brain and beef pineal. Biochem Pharmacol 18:1071–1081
Karpatkin S (1972) Biochemical and clinical aspects of megathrombocytes. Ann NY Acad Sci 201:262–279
Kerlinger FN, Pedhazur EJ (1973) Multiple Regression in Behavioral Research. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, New York, pp 36–84
Koe BK, Weismann A (1966) p-Chlorophenylalanine: a specific depletor of brain serotonin. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 154:499–516
Lott IT, Chase TN, Murphy DL (1972) Down's syndrome: transport, storage, and metabolism of serotonin in blood platelets. Pediatr Res 6:730–735
McGuire MT, Raleigh MJ, Yuwiler A, Brammer GL, Johnson CK (1980) Biosociopharmacology-II: Research options and limitations. In: Chien C (ed) Sociopharmacology: Drugs in Social Context, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht Holland (in press)
McMenamy RH, Oncley JL (1958) The specific binding of l-tryptophan to albumin. J Biol Chem 233:1436–1447
Oldedorf WH (1971) Brain uptake of labelled amino acids, amines and hexoses after arterial injection. Am J Physiol 221:1629–1639
Olinas MC, DeMontis MG, Mulas G, Tagliamonte A (1977) Role of free serum tryptophan on brain tryptophan concentration after oral glucose consumption. Pharmacol Res Commun 9:375–379
Pare CMB (1968) 5-Hydroxyindole metabolism in phenylketonuria and non-phenylketonuric mental deficiencies. Adv Pharm Suppl 6:159–165
Pletscher A (1978) Platelets as models for monoaminergic neurons. In: Youdim MBH, Lovenberg W, Sharman DF, Lagnado JR (eds) Essays in Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Vol. 3. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp 50–101
Raleigh MJ, Brammer GL, Yuwiler A, Flannery JW, McGuire MT, Geller E (1980) Serotonergic influences on the social behavior of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus). Exp Neurol 68(2):322–334
Raleigh MJ, Flannery JW, Ervin FR (1979) Sex differences in behavior among juvenile vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus). Behav Neural Biol 26:455–465
Redmond DE, Maas J, Kling A, Graham C, Derkirmenjian H (1971) Social behavior of primates selectively depleted of monoamines. Science 174:428–430
Ritvo ER, Yuwiler A, Geller E, Ornitz EM, Saeger K, Plotkin S (1970) Increased blood serotonin and platelets in early infantile autism. Arch Gen Psychiatry 23:566–577
Stahl SM, Meltzer HY (1978) A kinetic and pharmacological analysis of 5-hydroxytryptamine transport by human platelets and platelet comparison with central serotonergic neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 205(1):118–132
Struhsaker TT (1967) The behavior of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops). Univ Calif Publ Zool 82:1–64
Tagliamonte A, Biggio G, Vargui L, Gessa GL (1973) Free tryptophan in serum controls brain tryptophan level and serotonin synthesis. Life Sci 12:287–297
Wirz-Justice A, Puhringer W (1978) Seasonal incidence of an altered diurnal rhythm of platelet serotonin in unipolar depression. J Neural Transm 42:45–53
Wurtman RJ, Fernstrom J (1976) Control of brain neurotransmitter synthesis by precursor availability and nutritional state. Biochem Pharmacol 25:1691–1696
Yuwiler A (1973) Conversion of d- and l-tryptophan to brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid and to blood serotonin. J Neurochem 20:1099–1109
Yuwiler A, Oldendorf W, Geller E, Braun L (1977) Effect of albumin binding and amino acid competition on tryptophan uptake into brain. J Neurochem 28:1015–1023
Yuwiler A, Plotkin S, Geller E, Ritvo E (1970) A rapid accurate procedure for the determination of serotonin in whole human blood. Biochem Med 3:426–436
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Raleigh, M.J., Yuwiler, A., Brammer, G.L. et al. Peripheral correlates of serotonergically-influenced behaviors in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus). Psychopharmacology 72, 241–246 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431823
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431823