Depression May Be Monkey Business, Too

[HuckleB]

Depression May Be Monkey Business, Too

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/02/01/hscout523709.html

"Two new studies suggest that our simian cousins may have more in common with us than we realize.

Female monkeys suffer from depression, especially when they're isolated, while the innate sense of fairness in chimpanzees seems to be pegged to interpersonal relationships, researchers have found.

The findings could give experts more insight into how monkeys and chimpanzees evolved separately from humans. And in the case of one monkey study, "we can study these animals and learn things that will help us understand human depression better," said co-author Carol Shively, a professor of pathology at Wake Forest Baptist School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

...

As for humans, Shively said her research provides more evidence that depression is a "whole-body" disorder, affecting a variety of body systems. Indeed, scientists think research into the menstrual cycles of monkeys will help them understand depression in women, which often coincides with events such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

..."

[Sal Minella]

1. Depression from "female complaints....."

One of the female problems that makes me depressed is being paid seventy cents on the dollar, guys.

[MrPrax]

13. Have a Virginia Slim ;-)

or wonder why lowpay has been only a 'gender' issue? And question the fact being a 'liberal' in America means they ONLY time 'wages' is talked about is when it is a 'gender' issue?

Question

[LizMoonstar]

15. Hey now, hormone-triggered depressive episodes are real.

'hysteria', however, as you've mentioned, is not.

But don't try to say that hormone-triggered depression is a misogynist invention - it is a very real problem for many, men and women, but happens to be easier to track in women due to our better-understood hormonal cycles.

[aquart]

2. Please. I've seen a piranha fish with depression.

I've seen dogs and cats with it.

Depression ain't that unique to our line of descent.

[HuckleB]

3. Well, the life of the piranha has got to be an isolated, traumatic life.

:hi:

[Swamp Rat]

7. Won't be long before they have commercials like: "Zoloft for Pets"

Ai tadihnos piranhas! Coitados tudos que tem uma vida só! :cry:

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. My nanday Conure

you cuold tell... he is now over it, and again yuo can tell

[98geoduck]

4. Having an alcoholic Chimp as our leader has led to a lot of depression.

at least for those of us with a functional brain. Sorry, I thought this was what the article pertained to.

By the way, Keep your pets off of Prozac. Attention, Excercise and proper diet is the cure.

[ixion]

6. yep, very, very depressing

:cry:

[HuckleB]

8. Poor monkeys, watching so many of us humans sit around and dis evolution.

No wonder they're depressed.

[despairing optimist]

10. If you put 600 monkeys into a room with word processors,

at least one would type out Intelligent Design.

[shadowknows69]

14. and at least 50 would have a higher IQ than Bush n/t

[dannynyc]

9. Evolution

Does this study support the theory of evolution? I'm serious - there is an underlying message in this article that compares this disease between monkeys and humans.

[KissMeKate]

11. intentionally isolating chimps and causing them to develop depression?

that is truly sick.

[Lizzie Borden]

12. I agree!

It's sick and it sucks.

[HuckleB]

16. Umm. Did you two read the article?