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Sociability in a non-captive macaque population is associated with beneficial gut bacteria
Current evidence from animal behavior studies, especially in primates, points to the potential impact of social interactions on the transmission of microbiome bacteria between members of the social group. This agrees with the evidence on the two-way relationship between microbiome composition and social behaviors derived from studying laboratory animal models. However, in this study by Johnson et al. (2022), the authors investigated the relationship between gut microbiome diversity and social behavior (grooming) in a population of wild rhesus macaques.. Using previous evidence on gut microbiome genera linked to autistic and social behaviors in rodent studies, the authors have found a degree of overlap when investigating rhesus macaques. In particular, macaques who did not engage in social behavior with other members of their population had higher levels of the genus Streptococcus. On the other hand, macaques that were more social had higher levels of Faecalibacterium, a genus known for anti-inflammatory and health-promoting characteristics. The authors comment that their results highlight the relationship between the configuration of the microbiome, host social behaviors, and the subsequent impact on health through immune regulation. [NPID: Gut microbiome, gut brain axis, social behavior, macaques, Macaca mulatta, grooming, immune status]
Year: 2022
