ABSTRACT
Contemporary, large-scale autopsy studies have established that the incidence of Coronary heart disease (CHD) is closely associated with the extent and severity of underlying coronary artery atherosclerosis, a relationship that exists both within and between geographic regions. Although direct evidence to support it is very limited, effects of estrogen are widely believed to account for the sex difference in CHD incidence and atherosclerosis. The chapter have utilized cynomolgus macaques for the investigation of sex-related phenomena in atherosclerosis. Monkeys offer numerous advantages for investigations of atherosclerosis, particularly when questions focus on psychosocial factors or sex differences. At the conclusion of the study, histomorphometric determinations of the percentage of lumen occupied by plaque in each section of coronary artery. The series of experiments reviewed suggests that such effects are mediated, in part, through nonlipid pathways. These findings indicate that social subordination represents a significant stressor to female monkeys, particularly under conditions of confinement that demand high rates of social interaction.
