Prior Facility Affects Alopecia in Adulthood for Rhesus Macaques

The study investigated the effect of previous housing facilities on alopecia in 225 rhesus macaques at the Washington National Primate Research Center, observed from September 2011 to March 2014. It found that alopecia ratings significantly differed based on the prior facility, with some facilities associated with higher alopecia scores, and that females were 1.6 times more likely to have higher alopecia scores than males. Age and duration at WaNPRC did not significantly affect alopecia levels. Hair pulling behavior was strongly linked to alopecia, but it did not explain all cases, as some severely affected animals did not exhibit this behavior. The study concluded that alopecia may be influenced by long-term effects of early environments or genetics, and that immediate environmental changes might not alleviate the condition. It suggests that treatments for alopecia should consider historical factors and may need to be evaluated over long periods.