The Mutual Influences between Depressed <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> Mothers and Their Infants

<div><p>Objective</p><p>To assess the influence of infant rearing on the behavior of depressed adult female <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> and the influence of depressed infant-rearing adult female <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> on their infants in a free enclosure environment.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Here, 20 depressed subjects and then 20 healthy subjects were randomly selected from a total population of 1007 adult female <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> subjects. Four depressed subjects and eight healthy subjects were rearing infants. By focal observation, three trained observers video-recorded the selected subjects over a total observational period of 560 hours. The video footage was analyzed by qualified blinded analysts that coded the raw footage into quantitative behavioral data (i.e., durations of 53 pre-defined behavioral items across 12 behavioral categories) for statistical analysis.</p><p>Results</p><p>Between infant-rearing and non-rearing healthy subjects, ten differential behaviors distributed across five behavioral categories were identified. Between infant-rearing and non-rearing depressed subjects, nine behaviors distributed across five behavioral categories were identified. Between infant-rearing healthy and infant-rearing depressed subjects, fifteen behaviors distributed across six behavioral categories were identified.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Infant-rearing depressed adult female <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> subjects may have a worse psychological status as compared to non-rearing depressed counterparts. Infant rearing may negatively influence depressed <i>Macaca fascicularis</i> mothers. Infant-rearing depressed subjects were less adequate at raising infants as compared to infant-rearing healthy subjects. Thus, maternal depression in this macaque species may negatively impact infatile development, which is consistent with previous findings in humans.</p>