Sex-specific aging: sex differences in survival and health in a wild primate population

• Applicant: Dr. Cornelia Kraus
• Subject Area: Evolution, Anthropology
• Term: from 2010 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 168818331

The motivating problem behind this project is the apparent paradox that humans face in survival and health. Despite their seemingly better health, especially at older ages, men suffer a survival disadvantage throughout life. Some evidence suggests that this paradox might have close parallels in other mammals. Sex-specific selection pressures may have led to sex-specific strategies in the allocation of resources to different components of health. To evaluate this idea, we will investigate sex differences in demographic and physiological aging in a wild primate population. The grey mouse lemur, Microcebus murinus, is a well established laboratory model in aging research and its rather short life span (for a primate) allows cross-sectional as well as longitudinal studies. We will estimate sex differences in age-specific survival and quantify the contribution of sex-specific behaviours. In addition, we will test the hypothesis that females exhibit greater immunocompetence, but males retain higher functioning over the lifespan. To this end, we will construct age-trajectories of parasite load, a likely correlate of immunocompetence, and functioning for both sexes. Apart from shedding light on a putative mechanism behind the health-survival paradox, this study will also provide rare information on aging in a wild primate.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants