
Humans and the common marmosets are so-called cooperative breeders: Their children interact with multiple caregivers. A research team led by Judith Burkart from the University of Zurich studied the brain development of marmosets to understand how it connects to their social behavior.
The researchers observed 14 infant and 26 adult marmosets from five families. Adult monkeys – parents and older siblings – provided food to the infants. The researchers recorded whether the food was offered proactively or after the infant begged. They analyzed the proportion of food given proactively versus after begging at each point. Thus, they found the course of the marmosets’ social behavior development.
The researchers gathered data from previous studies identifying brain regions linked to social behavior to understand the brain’s role in this process. They also used additional datasets showing the development of these brain regions in marmosets of varying ages, from 13 to 104 weeks. Combining these datasets, they concluded the course of development of the brain regions of interest and compared them to the development of social behavior from their food-offering observations.
The results revealed that brain regions involved in social behavior undergo prolonged development, extending into adulthood. The researchers detected specific clusters in the brain that develop together. The most significant changes were observed during the phases when infant marmosets frequently begged for food from adults. The findings highlight the critical influence of social interactions on brain development.
Since humans, like marmosets, are also cooperative breeders (multiple caregivers provide infant care), these results provide insights into how early-life social experiences could affect the development of social skills in humans.
Reference: Cerrito, P., Gascon, E., Roberts, A.C. et al. Neurodevelopmental timing and socio-cognitive development in a prosocial cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus). Science Advances, Vol 10, Issue 44, eado3486 (30 Oct 2024) https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado3486
Image: © Prof. Dr. Judith Burkart