BIOLOGY
OF
REPRODUCTION
15,
Age, Weiit
356-360
(1976)
and Weight Gain Rhesus Monkey
Female RICHARD
WILEN
and
Department of University Pavilion,
Montreal,
FREDERICK
Obstetrics and Royal
McGill
Women’s
in the Individual Pubertal (Macaca mulatta)1
687
Quebec,
NAFTOLIN
and Gynecology, Victoria Hospital, Pine
H3A
Avenue
IA1,
West,
Canada
ABSTRACT The relationship between age, body weight and weight gain at puberty (first perineal turgescence and menarche) in the normal untreated rhesus monkey was determined from a longitudinal growth study of seven individual rhesus, 30 individual rhesus previously studied by other investigators and a review of 50 years of reported similar observations on captive rhesus at puberty. There was evidence of a secular trend towards an earlier age of puberty in the rhesus. Puberty was found to be generally coincident with the onset of the adolescent weight spurt and is invariably present before the maximum rate of pubertal weight gain. Although the average weight at puberty in the present study was consistent with prior studies, average pubertal age varied, suggesting a constant critical “demographic weight” at varying ages of puberty. Nevertheless, examination of 37 individual sexually mature rhesus from three separate studies showed age and weight at puberty were positively correlated. These data suggest that positive correlation in the pubertal age-weight distributions found in rodents and domestic animals may also occur in higher primates. A major species difference distinguishing the human from a general mammalian pubertal age-weight pattern, found in the rhesus, raises theoretical questions regarding the role “critical body weight” plays in triggering puberty.
INTRODUCTION
years rate growth
maturing mean
in
girls
attain
girls weight
Catchpole,
ports
on
menarche and the tionships rates
the
and
of
cence in parameters
Because
1956).
of age
in girls (Frisch absence of data weight individual have
from
of
recent
re-
weight
to
age, infancy
nonhuman been examined
weight to
primates, in the
stant light
temperature between 6
(750
am
F) and provided with artificial and 7 pm. A high protein diet
(Purina
Monkey Chow 25) was fed ad libitum, supplemented daily with fruit and vegetables, and twice weekly with hard-boiled eggs. Water was provided ad libitum. Weight growth data for each monkey was furnished by the New England Regional Primate Research Center. From birth or 60 days afterwards,
and adolesthese rhesus
the monkeys
month from June 1, 1972 to September 30, 1972 at the first sign of perineal turgescence, menarche, and monthly or shorter intervals thereafter for more than 13 months. Rate of weight gain (weight velocity) for each monkey was calculated at 60 day intervals by determining the difference in weight at each bimonthly interval along a plotted weight distance (age-weight) curve. Weight when
May 21, 1976. March 16, 1976. for the present
study was supported in from the Milton Foundation, Harvard Dr. Rose E. Frisch, Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Funds, Royal Victoria Hospital, and a grant from the Canadian Medical Research Council to Dr. Frederick Naftolin. ‘Research
METHODS
to
in steel cages measuring 27” X 24” X 17#{190}” at the New England Regional Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts. Animal quarters were airconditioned to a con-
monkey.
Accepted Received
1972
pubic
In
and
1,
turgescence was defined as swelling of the vulval lips, lobes and circumanal region as well as development of turgid folds in the thighs and back (Zuckerman et al., 1938). The monkeys were kept separately
same
1970).
and Revelle, 1970) establishing the rela-
pubertal gain
the
Revelle,
the average female prior to the highest gain (van Wagenen
relationship
between
at
menarche
(Frisch
June
AND
February, 1973 seven normal, untreated, laboratory reared, immature female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were examined daily for the first visible evidence of menstrual bleeding (menarche) and perineal turgescence. Perineal
occurs
contrast to the human, rhesus attains menarche rate of adolescent weight and
MATERIALS
From
between 10 and 16 of age and is preceded by the maximum of weight gain during the adolescent spurt (Tanner, 1962). Early and late
Menarche
part
by a grant University, to
velocity tion
356
tested
was
which
were weighed
for
tuberculosis.
plotted
facilitates
as
at least once every They
yearly
were
weight
the comparison
weighed
gain,
a conven-
of growth
rates
WEIGHT
TABLE
1. Pubertal
data
on rhesus
First Animal
Age
221-71 654-70 531-70 565-70 665-70 666-70 389-71
1.159 1.940 2.178 1.962 1.956 1.912 Nodata Mean SE.
in present
p erineal
=
PUBERTAL
Weight
Menarche
3100 3500 3450 3100 3500 3250 Nodata Mean SE.
= =
study,
of
maximum weight
rate spurt
review observations A
the
growth
spurt
of weight in of
of
3316 78
each
Weight
Mean SE.
ani-
key
=
shows
the
(Table
(P’
0
00
U’C
N
en
*
0-.
0’.
0
I-
‘0
.‘6BQA
CI 3’,
00
‘0”
U0N
‘6
N
V
2 4.’
.
V
‘
C
V
EB
.0
U
8
2
B B
VV
00 ‘5.500u
. .0
0
04
00
0.
U
C
0#{149}
0-’
enA
en
1-
N
V
‘
US
V
‘
B
US
.0-..
‘
.2
B
0
00
.5
0 >‘
‘0 V
B
0
,..‘0
B
0
--
V
,0,
-=
0
0
0
0.0
US
‘0
N
0
0’
0’
0’
-
-
-
S
u’0
soy
B
.0
WEIGHT
OF
PUBERTAL
large WY...,.
30442.
scattering
0
1970).
The
human
and
explained I
cent
0
w
29
IS
2
AGE, 2. Age
of monkeys Age
present
and
and
YEARS
weight
in present
at first
study
weight
at
study
(n),
menarche and
(A),
those
37 pubertal
all
of
estimate
of
591
correlation
perineal turgescence and that of Gavan of the monkeys in of
Goy
monkeys
± 137
and
grams
2222.2
shows
grams per and ordinate
coefficient
and
0.56
Resko
21
early
a slope
year with intercept
respectively.
maturers,
significantly late maturers,
lower 3601
3212
a of
This.slope
trend
A
in
towards
the
±
(P
OF
REPRODUCTION
15,
Age, Weiit
356-360
(1976)
and Weight Gain Rhesus Monkey
Female RICHARD
WILEN
and
Department of University Pavilion,
Montreal,
FREDERICK
Obstetrics and Royal
McGill
Women’s
in the Individual Pubertal (Macaca mulatta)1
687
Quebec,
NAFTOLIN
and Gynecology, Victoria Hospital, Pine
H3A
Avenue
IA1,
West,
Canada
ABSTRACT The relationship between age, body weight and weight gain at puberty (first perineal turgescence and menarche) in the normal untreated rhesus monkey was determined from a longitudinal growth study of seven individual rhesus, 30 individual rhesus previously studied by other investigators and a review of 50 years of reported similar observations on captive rhesus at puberty. There was evidence of a secular trend towards an earlier age of puberty in the rhesus. Puberty was found to be generally coincident with the onset of the adolescent weight spurt and is invariably present before the maximum rate of pubertal weight gain. Although the average weight at puberty in the present study was consistent with prior studies, average pubertal age varied, suggesting a constant critical “demographic weight” at varying ages of puberty. Nevertheless, examination of 37 individual sexually mature rhesus from three separate studies showed age and weight at puberty were positively correlated. These data suggest that positive correlation in the pubertal age-weight distributions found in rodents and domestic animals may also occur in higher primates. A major species difference distinguishing the human from a general mammalian pubertal age-weight pattern, found in the rhesus, raises theoretical questions regarding the role “critical body weight” plays in triggering puberty.
INTRODUCTION
years rate growth
maturing mean
in
girls
attain
girls weight
Catchpole,
ports
on
menarche and the tionships rates
the
and
of
cence in parameters
Because
1956).
of age
in girls (Frisch absence of data weight individual have
from
of
recent
re-
weight
to
age, infancy
nonhuman been examined
weight to
primates, in the
stant light
temperature between 6
(750
am
F) and provided with artificial and 7 pm. A high protein diet
(Purina
Monkey Chow 25) was fed ad libitum, supplemented daily with fruit and vegetables, and twice weekly with hard-boiled eggs. Water was provided ad libitum. Weight growth data for each monkey was furnished by the New England Regional Primate Research Center. From birth or 60 days afterwards,
and adolesthese rhesus
the monkeys
month from June 1, 1972 to September 30, 1972 at the first sign of perineal turgescence, menarche, and monthly or shorter intervals thereafter for more than 13 months. Rate of weight gain (weight velocity) for each monkey was calculated at 60 day intervals by determining the difference in weight at each bimonthly interval along a plotted weight distance (age-weight) curve. Weight when
May 21, 1976. March 16, 1976. for the present
study was supported in from the Milton Foundation, Harvard Dr. Rose E. Frisch, Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Funds, Royal Victoria Hospital, and a grant from the Canadian Medical Research Council to Dr. Frederick Naftolin. ‘Research
METHODS
to
in steel cages measuring 27” X 24” X 17#{190}” at the New England Regional Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts. Animal quarters were airconditioned to a con-
monkey.
Accepted Received
1972
pubic
In
and
1,
turgescence was defined as swelling of the vulval lips, lobes and circumanal region as well as development of turgid folds in the thighs and back (Zuckerman et al., 1938). The monkeys were kept separately
same
1970).
and Revelle, 1970) establishing the rela-
pubertal gain
the
Revelle,
the average female prior to the highest gain (van Wagenen
relationship
between
at
menarche
(Frisch
June
AND
February, 1973 seven normal, untreated, laboratory reared, immature female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were examined daily for the first visible evidence of menstrual bleeding (menarche) and perineal turgescence. Perineal
occurs
contrast to the human, rhesus attains menarche rate of adolescent weight and
MATERIALS
From
between 10 and 16 of age and is preceded by the maximum of weight gain during the adolescent spurt (Tanner, 1962). Early and late
Menarche
part
by a grant University, to
velocity tion
356
tested
was
which
were weighed
for
tuberculosis.
plotted
facilitates
as
at least once every They
yearly
were
weight
the comparison
weighed
gain,
a conven-
of growth
rates
WEIGHT
TABLE
1. Pubertal
data
on rhesus
First Animal
Age
221-71 654-70 531-70 565-70 665-70 666-70 389-71
1.159 1.940 2.178 1.962 1.956 1.912 Nodata Mean SE.
in present
p erineal
=
PUBERTAL
Weight
Menarche
3100 3500 3450 3100 3500 3250 Nodata Mean SE.
= =
study,
of
maximum weight
rate spurt
review observations A
the
growth
spurt
of weight in of
of
3316 78
each
Weight
Mean SE.
ani-
key
=
shows
the
(Table
(P’
0
00
U’C
N
en
*
0-.
0’.
0
I-
‘0
.‘6BQA
CI 3’,
00
‘0”
U0N
‘6
N
V
2 4.’
.
V
‘
C
V
EB
.0
U
8
2
B B
VV
00 ‘5.500u
. .0
0
04
00
0.
U
C
0#{149}
0-’
enA
en
1-
N
V
‘
US
V
‘
B
US
.0-..
‘
.2
B
0
00
.5
0 >‘
‘0 V
B
0
,..‘0
B
0
--
V
,0,
-=
0
0
0
0.0
US
‘0
N
0
0’
0’
0’
-
-
-
S
u’0
soy
B
.0
WEIGHT
OF
PUBERTAL
large WY...,.
30442.
scattering
0
1970).
The
human
and
explained I
cent
0
w
29
IS
2
AGE, 2. Age
of monkeys Age
present
and
and
YEARS
weight
in present
at first
study
weight
at
study
(n),
menarche and
(A),
those
37 pubertal
all
of
estimate
of
591
correlation
perineal turgescence and that of Gavan of the monkeys in of
Goy
monkeys
± 137
and
grams
2222.2
shows
grams per and ordinate
coefficient
and
0.56
Resko
21
early
a slope
year with intercept
respectively.
maturers,
significantly late maturers,
lower 3601
3212
a of
This.slope
trend
A
in
towards
the
±
(P
