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Science 29 April 2005:
Vol. 308. no. 5722, pp. 648 - 652
DOI: 10.1126/science.1106477
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Review

The Influence of Social Hierarchy on Primate Health

Robert M. Sapolsky

Dominance hierarchies occur in numerous social species, and rank within them can greatly influence the quality of life of an animal. In this review, I consider how rank can also influence physiology and health. I first consider whether it is high- or low-ranking animals that are most stressed in a dominance hierarchy; this turns out to vary as a function of the social organization in different species and populations. I then review how the stressful characteristics of social rank have adverse adrenocortical, cardiovascular, reproductive, immunological, and neurobiological consequences. Finally, I consider how these findings apply to the human realm of health, disease, and socioeconomic status.

Departments of Biological Sciences, Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, MC 5020, Stanford, CA 94305–5020, USA, and Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya.

E-mail: sapolsky{at}stanford.edu

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