Japanese macaques are exposed to stress during rank fights. Credit: Konstanze Meindl Hightlights: A putative COMT splice mutant (HT3) was associated with increased cortisol excretion. •This haplotype was widely distributed among males. •Cortisol excretion was inversely correlated with physical aggression. •No correlation between cortisol and social rank was found.
Certain genes, such as the COMT gene, are thought to play a role in determining our stress response. Researchers have now studied this gene in macaques, a genus of Old World monkeys, and for the first time have shown that a specific variant of the gene is associated with higher excretion of the stress hormone cortisol. The gene variant may also influence social rank among the animals.
Animals that live in groups face a vari...
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