Age, rank, and personality effects on the cortisol sedation stress response in young chimpanzees

Primates and other mammals exhibit a glucocorticoid response to somatic and psychosocial stressors. The pattern and degree of response varies both within and between species, but the factors affecting within-species variability have rarely been considered. Here we describe the 90-min serum cortisol response of 14 juvenile and adolescent chimpanzees to the stress of sedation with ketamine hydrochloride. We show age differences in both baseline cortisol and time of peak cortisol, with younger individuals (ages 4–5 years) showing higher baseline levels and an earlier peak response than older individuals (ages 8–9 years). However, we found no sex or rank-related differences in any of the sedation measures: baseline cortisol, cortisol peak time, peak cortisol level, or cortisol change from baseline. We also examined the relationship between these sedation stress measures and behavioral style score, and found that individuals scoring high in the “mellow” behavioral style component showed a greater stress response than individuals scoring lower in this component. Future studies should consider the role of individual differences in age and personality in the cortisol response to stress.