WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Scientists at a North Carolina university find that depressed female monkeys exhibit many of the same physical symptoms as women.
The team studied 36 adult female cynomolgus monkeys, who normally live in social groups in the wild. They found that monkeys who showed depression with a slumped body posture and a lack of interest in outside events and objects also became socially withdrawn and inactive and had reduced body fat, high heart rates and disruptions in hormone levels.
"We believe these monkeys can be a useful model for learning more about depression in women," said Carol Shively, professor of pathology at Wake Forest Baptist. "Current ways to treat depression are only partially successful. This may be an important opportunity to develop and test new treatments."
The team studied female monkeys because women are 66 percent more likely to experience major depression than men. Shively also said that men and women respond differently to treatments.
