Social interactions shape the brain of common marmosets
Published: Thursday, Oct 31st 2024, 16:30
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Common marmosets need an unexpectedly long time to process social interactions. As in humans, the development of the corresponding brain region extends into early adulthood, as a study by the University of Zurich (UZH) shows.
During this time, all members of the group take part in rearing the young, which contributes to the high social competence of this monkey species, as the UZH writes in a press release.
The brain of primates is shaped by various influences in the course of its development. However, these differ between apes and monkeys that raise their young in communities, such as the common marmosets.
The UZH researchers analyzed the development of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging and were able to show that the brain regions involved in processing social interactions exhibit a prolonged developmental period, as in humans.
Development of compassion and empathy
Little marmosets interact with several group members from birth and are therefore exposed to intensive social interaction. Feeding is also a cooperative affair: the young animals are fed by the group members and sometimes have to beg because their mothers are already busy with the next offspring.
According to the study, these behavioral social interactions decisively shape the development of the brain and contribute to the highly developed social-cognitive abilities of these monkeys.
"Our results underline the importance of social experiences for the formation of neuronal and cognitive networks, not only in monkeys, but also in humans," reported research leader Paola Cerrito, who is quoted in the press release.
Social influences during development could also have been a driving force in the emergence of compassion and empathy in humans. "This understanding may have implications from evolutionary biology to neuroscience and psychology," says Cerrito.
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