The calming effect of stimuli presentation on infant Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) under stress situation: a preliminary study.

In human newborns, presentation of sounds and odors under stress situations had a calming effect on behavioral and cortisol responses (Kawakami et al., 1996, 1997). These calming effects were examined with 10-day- and 15-day-old Japanese macaques. In Study 1, white noise presentation (Experimental conditions) at the blood sampling was compared with no sound presentation (Control conditions) at the blood sampling. White noise presentation has a calming effect on coded behavioral responses. In Study 2, lavender scent presentation (Experimental conditions) at the blood sampling was compared with no odor presentation (Control conditions) at the blood sampling. Lavender presentation has a calming effect on cortisol responses in the marginal level. From the data of these studies, the salivary cortisol levels were related to the cortisol levels in plasma. Our results may suggest the different effects of sound and odor on infant Japanese macaques.