![]() In addition to Ziegler, co-authors of the new report include Shelley Prudom, Carrie Broz, Nancy Schultz-Darken and Charles Snowdon, all of UW–Madison and Craig Ferris of Northeastern University. “It is interesting that the infant can have this parenting effect on the fathers.” “What we are seeing is the system is flexible and that it adjusts up and down,” says Ziegler. The finding is interesting and mildly surprising, says Ziegler, because while depressed levels of the hormone may aid the father in his care-giving role, he still must assume important responsibilities such as defending his turf and family, behaviors that may benefit from a jolt of testosterone as opposed to lower levels of the hormone. “”We saw no behavioral response, but we saw in every single father a significant decline in testosterone.” “This shows the male is responsive to chemical cues from their infants,” explains Ziegler. Blood tests taken within 20 minutes of exposure revealed a marked decline in testosterone for only those experienced males given the scent of their own babies. Similarly, males with no experience as parents were presented with the same odors. The new study was conducted by isolating experienced male marmoset fathers from their families - and their odors - and presenting them with either a scent from their infants’ genital area or a control scent. Marmoset males are known to be responsive to female scents, but the new Wisconsin study is the first to show that male physiology can also be influenced by a particular odor from a baby marmoset. She can’t assume all of the parenting responsibilities on her own,” says Ziegler, noting that marmoset females also typically become pregnant again within a few weeks of giving birth. Marmoset babies are also large, each coming into the world at 10 percent of adult weight. Fathers play a big role in raising their young, joining the female in a care-giving role within a few hours of the birth of offspring, which frequently arrive in pairs. ![]() Marmosets live in family groups and are prolific breeders. Some studies suggest it may also contribute to male aggressiveness. Produced by the adrenal gland and the testicles, testosterone promotes the maintenance of secondary male characteristics, including such things as muscle mass and strength, fat distribution, bone mass and sex drive. Testosterone is the most abundant, if not the most potent, male hormone in primates, including humans. These moderations may allow him to be more tolerant toward his infants while facing external challenges that might distract him from focusing on his infant and family needs.” It might be important for testosterone to be really flexible because there is a lot going on in the life of the primate dad. “What we’re seeing is that the system is flexible and that it can adjust up or down. “We were a little surprised to see testosterone alter like that,” says Toni Ziegler, a staff scientist at the WNPRC and the senior author of a study published Sept. In a new study from the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center ( WNPRC) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, researchers found that marmoset dads that get a whiff of their own babies experience decreased testosterone. A new study by WNPRC scientist Toni Ziegler shows that the odor of their own offspring lowers testosterone levels in marmoset fathers. An infant marmoset monkey clings to his father at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WNPRC) at UW–Madison.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |