HISTORICAL: the first evaluated repertoire of mental disorders in a non-human species

HISTORICAL: the first evaluated repertoire of mental disorders in a non-human species

With more than 10 years of data collected and analysed at MONA, we have participated in a study that has shown for the first time that chimpanzees present psychological illnesses typified in humans, such as post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.

To carry out the study, primatologist Yulan Úbeda adapted the most widely used international human psychiatric classification system for chimpanzees. Thus, she obtained nine categories of mental disorders similar to those of humans.

We hope that this adds to the effort to raise awareness in society and ultimately contributes to an improvement in the laws.

Results published in the scientific journal Journal of Veterinari Behaviour: Úbeda, Y., Fatjó, J., Rostán, C., Crailsheim, D., Gomara, A., Almunia, J., & Llorente, M., (2020) . A preliminary investigation on the evaluation of psychopathologies in a group of ex-pet and ex-performer chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): A rating approach based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2020.08.006