1
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Coop SH, Yates JL, Mitchell JF. Pre-saccadic Neural Enhancements in Marmoset Area MT. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2034222023. [PMID: 38050176 PMCID: PMC10860570 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2034-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Each time we make an eye movement, attention moves before the eyes, resulting in a perceptual enhancement at the target. Recent psychophysical studies suggest that this pre-saccadic attention enhances the visual features at the saccade target, whereas covert attention causes only spatially selective enhancements. While previous nonhuman primate studies have found that pre-saccadic attention does enhance neural responses spatially, no studies have tested whether changes in neural tuning reflect an automatic feature enhancement. Here we examined pre-saccadic attention using a saccade foraging task developed for marmoset monkeys (one male and one female). We recorded from neurons in the middle temporal area with peripheral receptive fields that contained a motion stimulus, which would either be the target of a saccade or a distracter as a saccade was made to another location. We established that marmosets, like macaques, show enhanced pre-saccadic neural responses for saccades toward the receptive field, including increases in firing rate and motion information. We then examined if the specific changes in neural tuning might support feature enhancements for the target. Neurons exhibited diverse changes in tuning but predominantly showed additive and multiplicative increases that were uniformly applied across motion directions. These findings confirm that marmoset monkeys, like macaques, exhibit pre-saccadic neural enhancements during saccade foraging tasks with minimal training requirements. However, at the level of individual neurons, the lack of feature-tuned enhancements is similar to neural effects reported during covert spatial attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanna H Coop
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
| | - Jacob L Yates
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, 20742-5025
| | - Jude F Mitchell
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester 14627-0268, New York
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2
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Osmanski MS, Wang X. Perceptual specializations for processing species-specific vocalizations in the common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221756120. [PMID: 37276391 PMCID: PMC10268253 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221756120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
How humans and animals segregate sensory information into discrete, behaviorally meaningful categories is one of the hallmark questions in neuroscience. Much of the research around this topic in the auditory system has centered around human speech perception, in which categorical processes result in an enhanced sensitivity for acoustically meaningful differences and a reduced sensitivity for nonmeaningful distinctions. Much less is known about whether nonhuman primates process their species-specific vocalizations in a similar manner. We address this question in the common marmoset, a small arboreal New World primate with a rich vocal repertoire produced across a range of behavioral contexts. We first show that marmosets perceptually categorize their vocalizations in ways that correspond to previously defined call types for this species. Next, we show that marmosets are differentially sensitive to changes in particular acoustic features of their most common call types and that these sensitivity differences are matched to the population statistics of their vocalizations in ways that likely maximize category formation. Finally, we show that marmosets are less sensitive to changes in these acoustic features when within the natural range of variability of their calls, which possibly reflects perceptual specializations which maintain existing call categories. These findings suggest specializations for categorical vocal perception in a New World primate species and pave the way for future studies examining their underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Osmanski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
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3
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Chen C, Remington ED, Wang X. Sound localization acuity of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Hear Res 2023; 430:108722. [PMID: 36863289 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small arboreal New World primate which has emerged as a promising model in auditory neuroscience. One potentially useful application of this model system is in the study of the neural mechanism underlying spatial hearing in primate species, as the marmosets need to localize sounds to orient their head to events of interest and identify their vocalizing conspecifics that are not visible. However, interpretation of neurophysiological data on sound localization requires an understanding of perceptual abilities, and the sound localization behavior of marmosets has not been well studied. The present experiment measured sound localization acuity using an operant conditioning procedure in which marmosets were trained to discriminate changes in sound location in the horizontal (azimuth) or vertical (elevation) dimension. Our results showed that the minimum audible angle (MAA) for horizontal and vertical discrimination was 13.17° and 12.53°, respectively, for 2 to 32 kHz Gaussian noise. Removing the monaural spectral cues tended to increase the horizontal localization acuity (11.31°). Marmosets have larger horizontal MAA (15.54°) in the rear than the front. Removing the high-frequency (> 26 kHz) region of the head-related transfer function (HRTF) affected vertical acuity mildly (15.76°), but removing the first notch (12-26 kHz) region of HRTF substantially reduced the vertical acuity (89.01°). In summary, our findings indicate that marmosets' spatial acuity is on par with other species of similar head size and field of best vision, and they do not appear to use monaural spectral cues for horizontal discrimination but rely heavily on first notch region of HRTF for vertical discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenggang Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Traylor 410, Baltimore, MD 21025, United States
| | - Evan D Remington
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Traylor 410, Baltimore, MD 21025, United States
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Traylor 410, Baltimore, MD 21025, United States.
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4
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Jendritza P, Klein FJ, Fries P. Multi-area recordings and optogenetics in the awake, behaving marmoset. Nat Commun 2023; 14:577. [PMID: 36732525 PMCID: PMC9895452 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset has emerged as a key model in neuroscience. Marmosets are small in size, show great potential for genetic modification and exhibit complex behaviors. Thus, it is necessary to develop technology that enables monitoring and manipulation of the underlying neural circuits. Here, we describe a novel approach to record and optogenetically manipulate neural activity in awake, behaving marmosets. Our design utilizes a light-weight, 3D printed titanium chamber that can house several high-density silicon probes for semi-chronic recordings, while enabling simultaneous optogenetic stimulation. We demonstrate the application of our method in male marmosets by recording multi- and single-unit data from areas V1 and V6 with 192 channels simultaneously, and show that optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in area V6 can influence behavior in a detection task. This method may enable future studies to investigate the neural basis of perception and behavior in the marmoset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jendritza
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Frederike J Klein
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Pascal Fries
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt, Germany
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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5
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Saghravanian SJ, Asadollahi A. Acclimatizing and training freely viewing marmosets for behavioral and electrophysiological experiments in oculomotor tasks. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15594. [PMID: 36754454 PMCID: PMC9908434 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The marmoset is a small-bodied primate with behavioral capacities and brain structures comparable to macaque monkeys and humans. Its amenability to modern biotechnological techniques like optogenetics, chemogenetics, and generation of transgenic primates have attracted neuroscientists' attention to use it as a model in neuroscience. In the past decade, several laboratories have been developing and refining tools and techniques for performing behavioral and electrophysiological experiments in this new model. In this regard, we developed a protocol to acclimate the marmoset to sit calmly in a primate chair; a method to calibrate the eye-tracking system while marmosets were freely viewing the screen; and a procedure to map motor field of neurons in the SC in freely viewing marmosets. Using a squeeze-walled transfer box, the animals were acclimatized, and chair trained in less than 4 weeks, much shorter than what other studies reported. Using salient stimuli allowed quick and accurate calibration of the eye-tracking system in untrained freely viewing marmosets. Applying reverse correlation to spiking activity and saccadic eye movements, we were able to map motor field of SC neurons in freely viewing marmosets. These refinements shortened the acclimation period, most likely reduced stress to the subjects, and allowed more efficient eye calibration and motor field mapping in freely viewing marmosets. With a penetration angle of 38 degrees, all 16 channels of the electrode array, that is, all recorded neurons across SC layers, had overlapping visual receptive and motor fields, indicating perpendicular penetration to the SC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Asadollahi
- Visuo‐Motor Systems Laboratory, Department of BiologyFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
- Present address:
Washington National Primate Research Center, and Department of Biological StructuresUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
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6
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Schaeffer DJ, Klassen LM, Hori Y, Tian X, Szczupak D, Yen CCC, Cléry JC, Gilbert KM, Gati JS, Menon RS, Liu C, Everling S, Silva AC. An open access resource for functional brain connectivity from fully awake marmosets. Neuroimage 2022; 252:119030. [PMID: 35217206 PMCID: PMC9048130 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is quickly gaining traction as a premier neuroscientific model. However, considerable progress is still needed in understanding the functional and structural organization of the marmoset brain to rival that documented in longstanding preclinical model species, like mice, rats, and Old World primates. To accelerate such progress, we present the Marmoset Functional Brain Connectivity Resource (marmosetbrainconnectome.org), currently consisting of over 70 h of resting-state fMRI (RS-fMRI) data acquired at 500 µm isotropic resolution from 31 fully awake marmosets in a common stereotactic space. Three-dimensional functional connectivity (FC) maps for every cortical and subcortical gray matter voxel are stored online. Users can instantaneously view, manipulate, and download any whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) topology (at the subject- or group-level) along with the raw datasets and preprocessing code. Importantly, researchers can use this resource to test hypotheses about FC directly - with no additional analyses required - yielding whole-brain correlations for any gray matter voxel on demand. We demonstrate the resource's utility for presurgical planning and comparison with tracer-based neuronal connectivity as proof of concept. Complementing existing structural connectivity resources for the marmoset brain, the Marmoset Functional Brain Connectivity Resource affords users the distinct advantage of exploring the connectivity of any voxel in the marmoset brain, not limited to injection sites nor constrained by regional atlases. With the entire raw database (RS-fMRI and structural images) and preprocessing code openly available for download and use, we expect this resource to be broadly valuable to test novel hypotheses about the functional organization of the marmoset brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Schaeffer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
| | - L Martyn Klassen
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Yuki Hori
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Xiaoguang Tian
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Diego Szczupak
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Cecil Chern-Chyi Yen
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Justine C Cléry
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kyle M Gilbert
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph S Gati
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ravi S Menon
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - CiRong Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Stefan Everling
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
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7
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Cloherty SL, Yates JL, Graf D, DeAngelis GC, Mitchell JF. Motion Perception in the Common Marmoset. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:2658-2672. [PMID: 31828299 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual motion processing is a well-established model system for studying neural population codes in primates. The common marmoset, a small new world primate, offers unparalleled opportunities to probe these population codes in key motion processing areas, such as cortical areas MT and MST, because these areas are accessible for imaging and recording at the cortical surface. However, little is currently known about the perceptual abilities of the marmoset. Here, we introduce a paradigm for studying motion perception in the marmoset and compare their psychophysical performance with human observers. We trained two marmosets to perform a motion estimation task in which they provided an analog report of their perceived direction of motion with an eye movement to a ring that surrounded the motion stimulus. Marmosets and humans exhibited similar trade-offs in speed versus accuracy: errors were larger and reaction times were longer as the strength of the motion signal was reduced. Reverse correlation on the temporal fluctuations in motion direction revealed that both species exhibited short integration windows; however, marmosets had substantially less nondecision time than humans. Our results provide the first quantification of motion perception in the marmoset and demonstrate several advantages to using analog estimation tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun L Cloherty
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, NY 14627, USA.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jacob L Yates
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, NY 14627, USA
| | - Dina Graf
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, NY 14627, USA
| | - Gregory C DeAngelis
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, NY 14627, USA
| | - Jude F Mitchell
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, NY 14627, USA
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8
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Visual Neuroscience Methods for Marmosets: Efficient Receptive Field Mapping and Head-Free Eye Tracking. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0489-20.2021. [PMID: 33863782 PMCID: PMC8143020 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0489-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The marmoset has emerged as a promising primate model system, in particular for visual neuroscience. Many common experimental paradigms rely on head fixation and an extended period of eye fixation during the presentation of salient visual stimuli. Both of these behavioral requirements can be challenging for marmosets. Here, we present two methodological developments, each addressing one of these difficulties. First, we show that it is possible to use a standard eye-tracking system without head fixation to assess visual behavior in the marmoset. Eye-tracking quality from head-free animals is sufficient to obtain precise psychometric functions from a visual acuity task. Second, we introduce a novel method for efficient receptive field (RF) mapping that does not rely on moving stimuli but uses fast flashing annuli and wedges. We present data recorded during head-fixation in areas V1 and V6 and show that RF locations are readily obtained within a short period of recording time. Thus, the methodological advancements presented in this work will contribute to establish the marmoset as a valuable model in neuroscience.
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9
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Murai T, Sukoff Rizzo SJ. The Importance of Complementary Collaboration of Researchers, Veterinarians, and Husbandry Staff in the Successful Training of Marmoset Behavioral Assays. ILAR J 2021; 61:230-247. [PMID: 33501501 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in marmosets as research models has seen exponential growth over the last decade, especially given that the research community is eager to improve on gaps with historical animal models for behavioral and cognitive disorders. The spectrum of human disease traits that present naturally in marmosets, as well as the range of analogous human behaviors that can be assessed in marmosets, makes them ideally suited as translational models for behavioral and cognitive disorders. Regardless of the specific research aims of any project, without close collaboration between researchers, veterinarians, and animal care staff, it would be impossible to meet these goals. Behavior is inherently variable, as are marmosets that are genetically and phenotypically diverse. Thus, to ensure rigor, reliability, and reproducibility in results, it is important that in the research environment, the animal's daily husbandry and veterinary needs are being met and align with the research goals while keeping the welfare of the animal the most critical and highest priority. Much of the information described herein provides details on key components for successful behavioral testing, based on a compendium of methods from peer-reviewed publications and our own experiences. Specific areas highlighted include habituation procedures, selection of appropriate rewards, optimization of testing environments, and ways to integrate regular veterinary and husbandry procedures into the research program with minimal disruptions to the behavioral testing plan. This article aims to provide a broad foundation for researchers new to establishing behavioral and cognitive testing paradigms in marmosets and especially for the veterinary and husbandry colleagues who are indispensable collaborators of these research projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Murai
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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10
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Intracellular neuronal recording in awake nonhuman primates. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:3615-3631. [PMID: 33046899 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-0388-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular neuronal recordings from the brain of awake nonhuman primates have remained difficult to obtain because of several formidable technical challenges, such as poor recording stability and difficulties in maintaining long-term recording conditions. We have developed a technique to record neuronal activity by using a coaxial guide tube and sharp electrode assembly, which allows researchers to repeatedly and reliably perform intracellular recordings in the cortex of awake marmosets. Recordings from individual neurons last from several minutes to more than an hour. A key advantage of this approach is that it does not require dura removal, permitting recordings over weeks and months in a single animal. This protocol describes the step-by-step procedures for construction of a custom-made marmoset chair, head-cap implantation, preparation of the sharp electrode and guide tube, neuronal recording and data analysis. As the technique is practical and easy to adapt, we anticipate that it can also be applied to other mammalian models, including larger-size nonhuman primates.
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11
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Common marmoset as a model primate for study of the motor control system. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 64:103-110. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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12
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Walker JD, Pirschel F, Gidmark N, MacLean JN, Hatsopoulos NG. A platform for semiautomated voluntary training of common marmosets for behavioral neuroscience. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:1420-1426. [PMID: 32130092 PMCID: PMC7191516 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00300.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Generally behavioral neuroscience studies of the common marmoset employ adaptations of well-established training methods used with macaque monkeys. However, in many cases these approaches do not readily generalize to marmosets indicating a need for alternatives. Here we present the development of one such alternate: a platform for semiautomated, voluntary in-home cage behavioral training that allows for the study of naturalistic behaviors. We describe the design and production of a modular behavioral training apparatus using CAD software and digital fabrication. We demonstrate that this apparatus permits voluntary behavioral training and data collection throughout the marmoset's waking hours with little experimenter intervention. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of this apparatus to reconstruct the kinematics of the marmoset's upper limb movement during natural foraging behavior.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The study of marmosets in neuroscience has grown rapidly and presents unique challenges. We address those challenges with an innovative platform for semiautomated, voluntary training that allows marmosets to train throughout their waking hours with minimal experimenter intervention. We describe the use of this platform to capture upper limb kinematics during foraging and to expand the opportunities for behavioral training beyond the limits of traditional training sessions. This flexible platform can easily incorporate other tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Walker
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Friederice Pirschel
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Jason N MacLean
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Nicholas G Hatsopoulos
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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13
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Pomberger T, Risueno-Segovia C, Gultekin YB, Dohmen D, Hage SR. Cognitive control of complex motor behavior in marmoset monkeys. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3796. [PMID: 31439849 PMCID: PMC6706403 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11714-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Marmosets have attracted significant interest in the life sciences. Similarities with human brain anatomy and physiology, such as the granular frontal cortex, as well as the development of transgenic lines and potential for transferring rodent neuroscientific techniques to small primates make them a promising neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric model system. However, whether marmosets can exhibit complex motor tasks in highly controlled experimental designs—one of the prerequisites for investigating higher-order control mechanisms underlying cognitive motor behavior—has not been demonstrated. We show that marmosets can be trained to perform vocal behavior in response to arbitrary visual cues in controlled operant conditioning tasks. Our results emphasize the marmoset as a suitable model to study complex motor behavior and the evolution of cognitive control underlying speech. Whether marmosets can exhibit complex motor tasks in controlled experimental designs has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the authors show that marmoset monkeys can be trained to call on command in controlled operant conditioning tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pomberger
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cristina Risueno-Segovia
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yasemin B Gultekin
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Deniz Dohmen
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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14
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Sedaghat-Nejad E, Herzfeld DJ, Hage P, Karbasi K, Palin T, Wang X, Shadmehr R. Behavioral training of marmosets and electrophysiological recording from the cerebellum. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1502-1517. [PMID: 31389752 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00389.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a promising new model for study of neurophysiological basis of behavior in primates. Like other primates, it relies on saccadic eye movements to monitor and explore its environment. Previous reports have demonstrated some success in training marmosets to produce goal-directed actions in the laboratory. However, the number of trials per session has been relatively small, thus limiting the utility of marmosets as a model for behavioral and neurophysiological studies. In this article, we report the results of a series of new behavioral training and neurophysiological protocols aimed at increasing the number of trials per session while recording from the cerebellum. To improve the training efficacy, we designed a precisely calibrated food regulation regime that motivates the subjects to perform saccade tasks, resulting in ~1,000 reward-driven trials on a daily basis. We then developed a multichannel recording system that uses imaging to target a desired region of the cerebellum, allowing for simultaneous isolation of multiple Purkinje cells in the vermis. In this report, we describe 1) the design and surgical implantation of a computer tomography (CT)-guided, subject-specific head post, 2) the design of a CT- and MRI-guided alignment tool for trajectory guidance of electrodes mounted on an absolute encoder microdrive, 3) development of a protocol for behavioral training of subjects, and 4) simultaneous recordings from pairs of Purkinje cells during a saccade task.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Marmosets present the opportunity to investigate genetically based neurological disease in primates, in particular, diseases that affect social behaviors, vocal communication, and eye movements. All of these behaviors depend on the integrity of the cerebellum. We present training methods that better motivate the subjects, allowing for improved performance, and we also present electrophysiological techniques that precisely target the subject's cerebellum, allowing for simultaneous isolation of multiple Purkinje cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Sedaghat-Nejad
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - David J Herzfeld
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Paul Hage
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kaveh Karbasi
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tara Palin
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory for Auditory Neurophysiology Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Reza Shadmehr
- Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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15
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Remington ED, Wang X. Neural Representations of the Full Spatial Field in Auditory Cortex of Awake Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:1199-1216. [PMID: 29420692 PMCID: PMC6373678 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike visual signals, sound can reach the ears from any direction, and the ability to localize sounds from all directions is essential for survival in a natural environment. Previous studies have largely focused on the space in front of a subject that is also covered by vision and were often limited to measuring spatial tuning along the horizontal (azimuth) plane. As a result, we know relatively little about how the auditory cortex responds to sounds coming from spatial locations outside the frontal space where visual information is unavailable. By mapping single-neuron responses to the full spatial field in awake marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), an arboreal animal for which spatial processing is vital in its natural habitat, we show that spatial receptive fields in several auditory areas cover all spatial locations. Several complementary measures of spatial tuning showed that neurons were tuned to both frontal space and rear space (outside the coverage of vision), as well as the space above and below the horizontal plane. Together, these findings provide valuable new insights into the representation of all spatial locations by primate auditory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan D Remington
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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Miller CT. Why marmosets? Dev Neurobiol 2018; 77:237-243. [PMID: 28170158 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, California
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17
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Two-photon imaging of neuronal activity in motor cortex of marmosets during upper-limb movement tasks. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1879. [PMID: 29760466 PMCID: PMC5951821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-photon imaging in behaving animals has revealed neuronal activities related to behavioral and cognitive function at single-cell resolution. However, marmosets have posed a challenge due to limited success in training on motor tasks. Here we report the development of protocols to train head-fixed common marmosets to perform upper-limb movement tasks and simultaneously perform two-photon imaging. After 2–5 months of training sessions, head-fixed marmosets can control a manipulandum to move a cursor to a target on a screen. We conduct two-photon calcium imaging of layer 2/3 neurons in the motor cortex during this motor task performance, and detect task-relevant activity from multiple neurons at cellular and subcellular resolutions. In a two-target reaching task, some neurons show direction-selective activity over the training days. In a short-term force-field adaptation task, some neurons change their activity when the force field is on. Two-photon calcium imaging in behaving marmosets may become a fundamental technique for determining the spatial organization of the cortical dynamics underlying action and cognition. Marmosets are an important model organism in neuroscience but there has only been limited success in training them on behavioral tasks. Here the authors report their ability to train marmosets in various motor tasks and simultaneously image neural dynamics in motor cortex with 2-photon imaging.
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18
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Johnston KD, Barker K, Schaeffer L, Schaeffer D, Everling S. Methods for chair restraint and training of the common marmoset on oculomotor tasks. J Neurophysiol 2018; 119:1636-1646. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00866.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The oculomotor system is the most thoroughly understood sensorimotor system in the brain, due in large part to electrophysiological studies carried out in macaque monkeys trained to perform oculomotor tasks. A disadvantage of the macaque model is that many cortical oculomotor areas of interest lie within sulci, making high-density array and laminar recordings impractical. Many techniques of molecular biology developed in rodents, such as optogenetic manipulation of neuronal subtypes, are also limited in this species. The common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus) possesses a smooth cortex, allowing easy access to frontoparietal oculomotor areas, and may bridge the gap between systems neuroscience in macaques and molecular techniques. Techniques for restraint, training, and neural recording in these animals have been well developed in auditory neuroscience. Those for oculomotor neuroscience, however, remain at a relatively early stage. In this article we provide details of a custom-designed restraint chair for marmosets, a combination head restraint/recording chamber allowing access to cortical oculomotor areas and providing stability suitable for eye movement and neural recordings, as well as a training protocol for oculomotor tasks. We additionally report the results of a psychophysical study in marmosets trained to perform a saccade task using these methods, showing that, as in rhesus and humans, marmosets exhibit a “gap effect,” a decrease in reaction time when the fixation stimulus is removed before the onset of a visual saccade target. These results are the first evidence of this effect in marmosets and support the common marmoset model for neurophysiological investigations of oculomotor control. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The ability to carry out neuronal recordings in behaving primates has provided a wealth of information regarding the neural circuits underlying the control of eye movements. Such studies require restraint of the animal within a primate chair, head fixation, methods of acclimating the animals to this restraint, and the use of operant conditioning methods for training on oculomotor tasks. In contrast to the macaque model, relatively few studies have reported in detail methods for use in the common marmoset. In this report we detail custom-designed equipment and methods by which we have used to successfully train head-restrained marmosets to perform basic oculomotor tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Johnston
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Stefan Everling
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Fischer B, Wegener D. Emphasizing the "positive" in positive reinforcement: using nonbinary rewarding for training monkeys on cognitive tasks. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:115-128. [PMID: 29617217 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00572.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonhuman primates constitute an indispensable model system for studying higher brain functions at the neurophysiological level. Studies involving these animals elucidated the neuronal mechanisms of various cognitive and executive functions, such as visual attention, working memory, and decision-making. Positive reinforcement training (PRT) constitutes the gold standard for training animals on the cognitive tasks employed in these studies. In the laboratory, PRT is usually based on application of a liquid reward as the reinforcer to strengthen the desired behavior and absence of the reward if the animal's response is wrong. By trial and error, the monkey may adapt its behavior and successfully reduce the number of error trials, and eventually learn even very sophisticated tasks. However, progress and success of the training strongly depend on reasonable error rates. If errors get too frequent, they may cause a drop in the animal's motivation to cooperate or its adaptation to high error rates and poor overall performance. We introduce in this report an alternative training regime to minimize errors and base the critical information for learning on graded rewarding. For every new task rule, the feedback to the animal is provided by different amounts of reward to distinguish the desired, optimal behavior from less optimal behavior. We applied this regime in different situations during training of visual attention tasks and analyzed behavioral performance and reaction times to evaluate its effectiveness. For both simple and complex behaviors, graded rewarding was found to constitute a powerful technique allowing for effective training without trade-off in accessible task difficulty or task performance. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Laboratory training of monkeys usually builds on providing a fixed amount of reward for the desired behavior, and no reward otherwise. We present a nonbinary, graded reward schedule to emphasize the positive, desired behavior and to keep errors on a moderate level. Using data from typical training situations, we demonstrate that graded rewards help to effectively guide the animal by success rather than errors and provide a powerful new tool for positive reinforcement training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Fischer
- Brain Research Institute, Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen , Bremen , Germany
| | - Detlef Wegener
- Brain Research Institute, Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen , Bremen , Germany
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20
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Grosso A, Cambiaghi M, Milano L, Renna A, Sacco T, Sacchetti B. Region- and Layer-Specific Activation of the Higher Order Auditory Cortex Te2 after Remote Retrieval of Fear or Appetitive Memories. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3140-3151. [PMID: 27252348 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory cortex is involved in encoding sounds which have acquired an emotional-motivational charge. However, the neural circuitry engaged by emotional memory processes in the auditory cortex is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the layers and regions that are recruited in the higher order auditory cortex Te2 by a tone previously paired to either fear or appetitive stimuli in rats. By tracking the protein coded by the immediate early gene zif268, we found that fear memory retrieval engages layers II-III in most regions of Te2. These results were neither due to an enhanced fear state nor to fear-evoked motor responses, as they were absent in animals retrieving an olfactory fear memory. These layers were also activated by appetitive auditory memory retrieval. Strikingly, layer IV was recruited by fear, but not appetitive memories, whereas layer V activity was related to the behavioral responses displayed to the CS. In addition to revealing the layers and regions that are recruited in the Te2 by either fear or appetitive remote memories, our study also shows that the neural circuitry within the Te2 that processes and stores emotional memories varies on the basis of the affective motivational charge of tones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Grosso
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Cambiaghi
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Luisella Milano
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Annamaria Renna
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Tiziana Sacco
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Benedetto Sacchetti
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience-Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
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21
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Yoshimoto T, Takahashi E, Yamashita S, Ohara K, Niimi K. Larger cages with housing unit environment enrichment improve the welfare of marmosets. Exp Anim 2018; 67:31-39. [PMID: 28824049 PMCID: PMC5814312 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.17-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The provision of adequate space for laboratory animals is essential not only for good welfare but accurate studies. For example, housing conditions for primates used in biomedical research may negatively affect welfare and thus the reliability of findings. In common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), an appropriate cage size enables a socially harmonious family environment and optimizes reproductive potential. In this study, we investigated the effects of cage size on body weight (BW), behavior, and nursing succession in the common marmoset. Large cages (LCs) with environment enrichment led to an increase in BW while small cages (SCs) caused stereotypic behaviors that were not observed in LCs. In addition, the BW of infants increased with aging in LCs. Our findings indicate that the welfare of marmosets was enhanced by living in LCs. Research on non-human primates is essential for understanding the human brain and developing knowledge-based strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Thus, the present findings are important because they indicate that different cages may influence emotional and behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro Yoshimoto
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Eiki Takahashi
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Shunji Yamashita
- O'HARA & CO., LTD., 4-28-16 Ekoda, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 165-0022, Japan
| | - Kiichi Ohara
- O'HARA & CO., LTD., 4-28-16 Ekoda, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 165-0022, Japan
| | - Kimie Niimi
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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22
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Nummela SU, Coop SH, Cloherty SL, Boisvert CJ, Leblanc M, Mitchell JF. Psychophysical measurement of marmoset acuity and myopia. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 77:300-313. [PMID: 27804251 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The common marmoset has attracted increasing interest as a model for visual neuroscience. A measurement of fundamental importance to ensure the validity of visual studies is spatial acuity. The marmoset has excellent acuity that has been reported at the fovea to be nearly half that of the human (Ordy and Samorajski []: Vision Res 8:1205-1225), a value that is consistent with them having similar photoreceptor densities combined with their smaller eye size (Troilo et al. []: Vision Res 33:1301-1310). Of interest, the marmoset exhibits a higher proportion of cones than rods in peripheral vision than human or macaque, which in principle could endow them with better peripheral acuity depending on how those signals are pooled in subsequent processing. Here, we introduce a simple behavioral paradigm to measure acuity and then test how acuity in the marmoset scales with eccentricity. We trained subjects to fixate a central point and detect a peripheral Gabor by making a saccade to its location. First, we found that accurate assessment of acuity required correction for myopia in all adult subjects. This is an important point because marmosets raised in laboratory conditions often have mild to severe myopia (Graham and Judge []: Vision Res 39:177-187), a finding that we confirm, and that would limit their utility for studies of vision if uncorrected. With corrected vision, we found that their acuity scales with eccentricity similar to that of humans and macaques, having roughly half the value of the human and with no clear departure for higher acuity in the periphery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 300-313, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shanna H Coop
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York
| | - Shaun L Cloherty
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Chantal J Boisvert
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Mathias Leblanc
- Animal Resources Department, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Jude F Mitchell
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, New York
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23
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Toarmino CR, Yen CCC, Papoti D, Bock NA, Leopold DA, Miller CT, Silva AC. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of auditory cortical fields in awake marmosets. Neuroimage 2017; 162:86-92. [PMID: 28830766 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The primate auditory cortex is organized into a network of anatomically and functionally distinct processing fields. Because of its tonotopic properties, the auditory core has been the main target of neurophysiological studies ranging from sensory encoding to perceptual decision-making. By comparison, the auditory belt has been less extensively studied, in part due to the fact that neurons in the belt areas prefer more complex stimuli and integrate over a wider frequency range than neurons in the core, which prefer pure tones of a single frequency. Complementary approaches, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), allow the anatomical identification of both the auditory core and belt and facilitate their functional characterization by rapidly testing a range of stimuli across multiple brain areas simultaneously that can be used to guide subsequent neural recordings. Bridging these technologies in primates will serve to further expand our understanding of primate audition. Here, we developed a novel preparation to test whether different areas of the auditory cortex could be identified using fMRI in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a powerful model of the primate auditory system. We used two types of stimulation, band pass noise and pure tones, to parse apart the auditory core from surrounding secondary belt fields. In contrast to most auditory fMRI experiments in primates, we employed a continuous sampling paradigm to rapidly collect data with little deleterious effects. Here we found robust bilateral auditory cortex activation in two marmosets and unilateral activation in a third utilizing this preparation. Furthermore, we confirmed results previously reported in electrophysiology experiments, such as the tonotopic organization of the auditory core and regions activating preferentially to complex over simple stimuli. Overall, these data establish a key preparation for future research to investigate various functional properties of marmoset auditory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille R Toarmino
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences Graduate Program, The University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0109, USA
| | - Cecil C C Yen
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4478, USA
| | - Daniel Papoti
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4478, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bock
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - David A Leopold
- Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4400, USA
| | - Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences Graduate Program, The University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0109, USA
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4478, USA.
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24
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Distinct Neural Activities in Premotor Cortex during Natural Vocal Behaviors in a New World Primate, the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). J Neurosci 2017; 36:12168-12179. [PMID: 27903726 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1646-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although evidence from human studies has long indicated the crucial role of the frontal cortex in speech production, it has remained uncertain whether the frontal cortex in nonhuman primates plays a similar role in vocal communication. Previous studies of prefrontal and premotor cortices of macaque monkeys have found neural signals associated with cue- and reward-conditioned vocal production, but not with self-initiated or spontaneous vocalizations (Coudé et al., 2011; Hage and Nieder, 2013), which casts doubt on the role of the frontal cortex of the Old World monkeys in vocal communication. A recent study of marmoset frontal cortex observed modulated neural activities associated with self-initiated vocal production (Miller et al., 2015), but it did not delineate whether these neural activities were specifically attributed to vocal production or if they may result from other nonvocal motor activity such as orofacial motor movement. In the present study, we attempted to resolve these issues and examined single neuron activities in premotor cortex during natural vocal exchanges in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a highly vocal New World primate. Neural activation and suppression were observed both before and during self-initiated vocal production. Furthermore, by comparing neural activities between self-initiated vocal production and nonvocal orofacial motor movement, we identified a subpopulation of neurons in marmoset premotor cortex that was activated or suppressed by vocal production, but not by orofacial movement. These findings provide clear evidence of the premotor cortex's involvement in self-initiated vocal production in natural vocal behaviors of a New World primate. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Human frontal cortex plays a crucial role in speech production. However, it has remained unclear whether the frontal cortex of nonhuman primates is involved in the production of self-initiated vocalizations during natural vocal communication. Using a wireless multichannel neural recording technique, we observed in the premotor cortex neural activation and suppression both before and during self-initiated vocalizations when marmosets, a highly vocal New World primate species, engaged in vocal exchanges with conspecifics. A novel finding of the present study is the discovery of a subpopulation of premotor cortex neurons that was activated by vocal production, but not by orofacial movement. These observations provide clear evidence of the premotor cortex's involvement in vocal production in a New World primate species.
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25
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OBAT: An open-source and low-cost operant box for auditory discriminative tasks. Behav Res Methods 2017; 50:816-825. [DOI: 10.3758/s13428-017-0906-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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26
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Osmanski MS, Song X, Guo Y, Wang X. Frequency discrimination in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Hear Res 2016; 341:1-8. [PMID: 27498400 PMCID: PMC5295855 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a highly vocal New World primate species that has emerged in recent years as a promising model system for studies of auditory and vocal processing. Our recent studies have examined perceptual mechanisms related to the pitch of harmonic complex tones in this species. However, no previous psychoacoustic work has measured marmosets' frequency discrimination abilities for pure tones across a broad frequency range. Here we systematically examined frequency difference limens (FDLs), which measure the minimum discriminable frequency difference between two pure tones, in marmosets across most of their hearing range. Results show that marmosets' FDLs are comparable to other New World primates, with lowest values in the frequency range of ∼3.5-14 kHz. This region of lowest FDLs corresponds with the region of lowest hearing thresholds in this species measured in our previous study and also with the greatest concentration of spectral energy in the major types of marmoset vocalizations. These data suggest that frequency discrimination in the common marmoset may have evolved to match the hearing sensitivity and spectral characteristics of this species' vocalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Osmanski
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Xindong Song
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Yueqi Guo
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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27
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Yamada Y, Matsumoto Y, Okahara N, Mikoshiba K. Chronic multiscale imaging of neuronal activity in the awake common marmoset. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35722. [PMID: 27786241 PMCID: PMC5082371 DOI: 10.1038/srep35722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a methodology to chronically record in vivo brain activity in the awake common marmoset. Over a month, stable imaging revealed macroscopic sensory maps in the somatosensory cortex and their underlying cellular activity with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the awake but not anesthetized state. This methodology is applicable to other brain regions, and will be useful for studying cortical activity and plasticity in marmosets during learning, development, and in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiyuki Yamada
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute (BSI), RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.,Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency, International Cooperative Research Project and Solution-Oriented Research for Science and Technology, Calcium Oscillation Project, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Matsumoto
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute (BSI), RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.,Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Norio Okahara
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Mikoshiba
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute (BSI), RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.,Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency, International Cooperative Research Project and Solution-Oriented Research for Science and Technology, Calcium Oscillation Project, Wako, Saitama, Japan
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Walker J, MacLean J, Hatsopoulos NG. The marmoset as a model system for studying voluntary motor control. Dev Neurobiol 2016; 77:273-285. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Walker
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois 60637
| | - Jason MacLean
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois 60637
- Department of Neurobiology; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois 60637
| | - Nicholas G. Hatsopoulos
- Committee on Computational Neuroscience, University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois 60637
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois 60637
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29
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MacDougall M, Nummela SU, Coop S, Disney A, Mitchell JF, Miller CT. Optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits in awake marmosets. J Neurophysiol 2016; 116:1286-94. [PMID: 27334951 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00197.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics has revolutionized the study of functional neuronal circuitry (Boyden ES, Zhang F, Bamberg E, Nagel G, Deisseroth K. Nat Neurosci 8: 1263-1268, 2005; Deisseroth K. Nat Methods 8: 26-29, 2011). Although these techniques have been most successfully implemented in rodent models, they have the potential to be similarly impactful in studies of nonhuman primate brains. Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) have recently emerged as a candidate primate model for gene editing, providing a potentially powerful model for studies of neural circuitry and disease in primates. The application of viral transduction methods in marmosets for identifying and manipulating neuronal circuitry is a crucial step in developing this species for neuroscience research. In the present study we developed a novel, chronic method to successfully induce rapid photostimulation in individual cortical neurons transduced by adeno-associated virus to express channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in awake marmosets. We found that large proportions of neurons could be effectively photoactivated following viral transduction and that this procedure could be repeated for several months. These data suggest that techniques for viral transduction and optical manipulation of neuronal populations are suitable for marmosets and can be combined with existing behavioral preparations in the species to elucidate the functional neural circuitry underlying perceptual and cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew MacDougall
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Samuel U Nummela
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Shanna Coop
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Anita Disney
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; and
| | - Jude F Mitchell
- Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California;
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YOSHIMOTO T, NIIMI K, TAKAHASHI E. Serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) as a biochemical marker for wasting marmoset syndrome. J Vet Med Sci 2016; 78:837-43. [PMID: 26876041 PMCID: PMC4905840 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.15-0675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Use of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) as a non-human primate experimental animal has increased in recent years. Although wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS) is one of the biggest problems in captive marmoset colonies, the molecular mechanisms, biochemical markers for accurate diagnosis and a reliable treatment remain unknown. In this study, as a first step to finding biochemical marker(s) for the accurate diagnosis of WMS, we conducted blood cell counts, including hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelets, and examined serum chemistry values, including albumin, calcium and levels of serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), using a colony of marmosets with and without weight loss. MMP9 is thought to be an enzyme responsible for the degradation of extracellular matrix components and participates in the pathogenesis of inflammatory conditions, such as human and murine inflammatory bowel disease, which, like WMS, are characterized histologically by inflammatory cell infiltrations in the intestines. The values of hematocrit and hemoglobin and levels of serum albumin and calcium in the WMS group were significantly decreased versus the control group. The platelet values and serum MMP9 concentrations were increased significantly in the WMS group compared with the control group. MMP9 could be a new and useful marker for the diagnosis of WMS in addition to hematocrit, hemoglobin, serum albumin and calcium. Our results also indicate that MMP9 could be a useful molecular candidate for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro YOSHIMOTO
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute,
2–1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351–0198, Japan
| | - Kimie NIIMI
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute,
2–1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351–0198, Japan
| | - Eiki TAKAHASHI
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute,
2–1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351–0198, Japan
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31
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Hearing sensitivity in context: Conservation implications for a highly vocal endangered species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Complex pitch perception mechanisms are shared by humans and a New World monkey. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 113:781-6. [PMID: 26712015 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1516120113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The perception of the pitch of harmonic complex sounds is a crucial function of human audition, especially in music and speech processing. Whether the underlying mechanisms of pitch perception are unique to humans, however, is unknown. Based on estimates of frequency resolution at the level of the auditory periphery, psychoacoustic studies in humans have revealed several primary features of central pitch mechanisms. It has been shown that (i) pitch strength of a harmonic tone is dominated by resolved harmonics; (ii) pitch of resolved harmonics is sensitive to the quality of spectral harmonicity; and (iii) pitch of unresolved harmonics is sensitive to the salience of temporal envelope cues. Here we show, for a standard musical tuning fundamental frequency of 440 Hz, that the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World monkey with a hearing range similar to that of humans, exhibits all of the primary features of central pitch mechanisms demonstrated in humans. Thus, marmosets and humans may share similar pitch perception mechanisms, suggesting that these mechanisms may have emerged early in primate evolution.
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33
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The higher order auditory cortex is involved in the assignment of affective value to sensory stimuli. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8886. [PMID: 26619940 PMCID: PMC5482717 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The sensory cortex participates in emotional memory but its role is poorly understood. Here we show that inactivation of the higher order auditory cortex Te2 in rats during early memory consolidation impairs remote first- and second-order fear memories but not the association between two neutral cues. Furthermore, Te2 inactivation prevents changes in the valence of such information. Following the presentation of two auditory cues previously paired with either pleasant or painful stimuli, a large percentage of cells responds to both experiences but also a small fraction of neurons responds exclusively to one of them. The latter type of neurons signals the valence rather than the salience or the motor responses associated with the stimuli, and reflects selective associative processes. Pharmacogenetic silencing of memory-activated neurons causes amnesia. Thus, Te2 represents a crucial node for the assignment of the affective value to sensory stimuli and for the storage of such information. The auditory cortex Te2 represents a key node for the assignment of the affective value to sensory stimuli in rodents. Using pharmacogenetic manipulations, this study shows that in Te2 there are neurons which respond to the emotional valence of sounds and their inactivation impairs emotional memories retrieval.
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Sadakane O, Masamizu Y, Watakabe A, Terada SI, Ohtsuka M, Takaji M, Mizukami H, Ozawa K, Kawasaki H, Matsuzaki M, Yamamori T. Long-Term Two-Photon Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Populations with Subcellular Resolution in Adult Non-human Primates. Cell Rep 2015; 13:1989-99. [PMID: 26655910 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.10.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-photon imaging with genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) enables long-term observation of neuronal activity in vivo. However, there are very few studies of GECIs in primates. Here, we report a method for long-term imaging of a GECI, GCaMP6f, expressed from adeno-associated virus vectors in cortical neurons of the adult common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate. We used a tetracycline-inducible expression system to robustly amplify neuronal GCaMP6f expression and up- and downregulate it for more than 100 days. We succeeded in monitoring spontaneous activity not only from hundreds of neurons three-dimensionally distributed in layers 2 and 3 but also from single dendrites and axons in layer 1. Furthermore, we detected selective activities from somata, dendrites, and axons in the somatosensory cortex responding to specific tactile stimuli. Our results provide a way to investigate the organization and plasticity of cortical microcircuits at subcellular resolution in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Sadakane
- Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yoshito Masamizu
- Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Division of Brain Circuits, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Akiya Watakabe
- Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Terada
- Division of Brain Circuits, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory of Cell Recognition and Pattern Formation, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Masanari Ohtsuka
- Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Masafumi Takaji
- Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Keiya Ozawa
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Masanori Matsuzaki
- Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Division of Brain Circuits, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
| | - Tetsuo Yamamori
- Division of Brain Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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35
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Hung CC, Yen CC, Ciuchta JL, Papoti D, Bock NA, Leopold DA, Silva AC. Functional MRI of visual responses in the awake, behaving marmoset. Neuroimage 2015; 120:1-11. [PMID: 26149609 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.06.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The visual brain is composed of interconnected subcortical and cortical structures that receive and process image information originating in the retina. The visual system of nonhuman primates, in particular macaques, has been studied in great detail in order to elucidate principles of human sensation and perception. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small New World monkey of growing interest as a primate model for neuroscience. Marmosets have advantages over macaques because of their small size, lissencephalic cortex, and growing potential for viral and genetic manipulations. Previous anatomical studies and electrophysiological recordings in anesthetized marmosets have shown that this species' cortical visual hierarchy closely resembles that of other primates, including humans. Until now, however, there have been no attempts to systematically study visual responses throughout the marmoset brain using fMRI. Here we show that awake marmosets readily learn to carry out a simple visual task inside the bore of an MRI scanner during functional mapping experiments. Functional scanning at 500 μm in-plane resolution in a 30 cm horizontal bore at 7 T revealed robust positive blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI responses to visual stimuli throughout visual cortex and associated subcortical areas. Nonvisual sensory areas showed negative contrasts to visual stimuli compared to the fixation dot only baseline. Structured images of objects and faces led to stronger responses than scrambled control images at stages beyond early visual cortex. Our study establishes fMRI mapping of visual responses in awake, behaving marmosets as a straightforward and valuable tool for assessing the functional organization of the primate brain at high resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Chun Hung
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA; Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Cecil C Yen
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jennifer L Ciuchta
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Daniel Papoti
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bock
- Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - David A Leopold
- Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA; Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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36
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Mitchell JF, Priebe NJ, Miller CT. Motion dependence of smooth pursuit eye movements in the marmoset. J Neurophysiol 2015; 113:3954-60. [PMID: 25867740 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00197.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Smooth pursuit eye movements stabilize slow-moving objects on the retina by matching eye velocity with target velocity. Two critical components are required to generate smooth pursuit: first, because it is a voluntary eye movement, the subject must select a target to pursue to engage the tracking system; and second, generating smooth pursuit requires a moving stimulus. We examined whether this behavior also exists in the common marmoset, a New World primate that is increasingly attracting attention as a genetic model for mental disease and systems neuroscience. We measured smooth pursuit in two marmosets, previously trained to perform fixation tasks, using the standard Rashbass step-ramp pursuit paradigm. We first measured the aspects of visual motion that drive pursuit eye movements. Smooth eye movements were in the same direction as target motion, indicating that pursuit was driven by target movement rather than by displacement. Both the open-loop acceleration and closed-loop eye velocity exhibited a linear relationship with target velocity for slow-moving targets, but this relationship declined for higher speeds. We next examined whether marmoset pursuit eye movements depend on an active engagement of the pursuit system by measuring smooth eye movements evoked by small perturbations of motion from fixation or during pursuit. Pursuit eye movements were much larger during pursuit than from fixation, indicating that pursuit is actively gated. Several practical advantages of the marmoset brain, including the accessibility of the middle temporal (MT) area and frontal eye fields at the cortical surface, merit its utilization for studying pursuit movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude F Mitchell
- Systems Neurobiology Lab, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, California; Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Rochester, Rochester, New York;
| | - Nicholas J Priebe
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; and
| | - Cory T Miller
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences Graduate Program, The University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California
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37
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Mitchell JF, Leopold DA. The marmoset monkey as a model for visual neuroscience. Neurosci Res 2015; 93:20-46. [PMID: 25683292 PMCID: PMC4408257 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has been valuable as a primate model in biomedical research. Interest in this species has grown recently, in part due to the successful demonstration of transgenic marmosets. Here we examine the prospects of the marmoset model for visual neuroscience research, adopting a comparative framework to place the marmoset within a broader evolutionary context. The marmoset's small brain bears most of the organizational features of other primates, and its smooth surface offers practical advantages over the macaque for areal mapping, laminar electrode penetration, and two-photon and optical imaging. Behaviorally, marmosets are more limited at performing regimented psychophysical tasks, but do readily accept the head restraint that is necessary for accurate eye tracking and neurophysiology, and can perform simple discriminations. Their natural gaze behavior closely resembles that of other primates, with a tendency to focus on objects of social interest including faces. Their immaturity at birth and routine twinning also makes them ideal for the study of postnatal visual development. These experimental factors, together with the theoretical advantages inherent in comparing anatomy, physiology, and behavior across related species, make the marmoset an excellent model for visual neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude F Mitchell
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Meliora Hall, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
| | - David A Leopold
- Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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38
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Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small-bodied New World primate, offers several advantages to complement vision research in larger primates. Studies in the anesthetized marmoset have detailed the anatomy and physiology of their visual system (Rosa et al., 2009) while studies of auditory and vocal processing have established their utility for awake and behaving neurophysiological investigations (Lu et al., 2001a,b; Eliades and Wang, 2008a,b; Osmanski and Wang, 2011; Remington et al., 2012). However, a critical unknown is whether marmosets can perform visual tasks under head restraint. This has been essential for studies in macaques, enabling both accurate eye tracking and head stabilization for neurophysiology. In one set of experiments we compared the free viewing behavior of head-fixed marmosets to that of macaques, and found that their saccadic behavior is comparable across a number of saccade metrics and that saccades target similar regions of interest including faces. In a second set of experiments we applied behavioral conditioning techniques to determine whether the marmoset could control fixation for liquid reward. Two marmosets could fixate a central point and ignore peripheral flashing stimuli, as needed for receptive field mapping. Both marmosets also performed an orientation discrimination task, exhibiting a saturating psychometric function with reliable performance and shorter reaction times for easier discriminations. These data suggest that the marmoset is a viable model for studies of active vision and its underlying neural mechanisms.
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39
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Baxter VK, Shaw GC, Sotuyo NP, Carlson CS, Olson EJ, Zink MC, Mankowski JL, Adams RJ, Hutchinson EK, Metcalf Pate KA. Serum albumin and body weight as biomarkers for the antemortem identification of bone and gastrointestinal disease in the common marmoset. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82747. [PMID: 24324827 PMCID: PMC3855796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing use of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) in research makes it important to diagnose spontaneous disease that may confound experimental studies. Bone disease and gastrointestinal disease are two major causes of morbidity and mortality in captive marmosets, but currently no effective antemortem tests are available to identify affected animals prior to the terminal stage of disease. In this study we propose that bone disease and gastrointestinal disease are associated disease entities in marmosets and aim to establish the efficacy of several economical antemortem tests in identifying and predicting disease. Tissues from marmosets were examined to define affected animals and unaffected controls. Complete blood count, serum chemistry values, body weight, quantitative radiographs, and tissue-specific biochemical markers were evaluated as candidate biomarkers for disease. Bone and gastrointestinal disease were associated, with marmosets being over seven times more likely to have either concurrent bone and gastrointestinal disease or neither disease as opposed to lesions in only one organ system. When used in tandem, serum albumin <3.5 g/dL and body weight <325 g identified 100% of the marmosets affected with concurrent bone and gastrointestinal disease. Progressive body weight loss of 0.05% of peak body weight per day predicted which marmosets would develop disease prior to the terminal stage. Bone tissue-specific tests, such as quantitative analysis of radiographs and serum parathyroid hormone levels, were effective for distinguishing between marmosets with bone disease and those without. These results provide an avenue for making informed decisions regarding the removal of affected marmosets from studies in a timely manner, preserving the integrity of research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria K. Baxter
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gillian C. Shaw
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nathaniel P. Sotuyo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cathy S. Carlson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Erik J. Olson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - M. Christine Zink
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph L. Mankowski
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Adams
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric K. Hutchinson
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kelly A. Metcalf Pate
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Boly M, Seth AK, Wilke M, Ingmundson P, Baars B, Laureys S, Edelman DB, Tsuchiya N. Consciousness in humans and non-human animals: recent advances and future directions. Front Psychol 2013; 4:625. [PMID: 24198791 PMCID: PMC3814086 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This joint article reflects the authors' personal views regarding noteworthy advances in the neuroscience of consciousness in the last 10 years, and suggests what we feel may be promising future directions. It is based on a small conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine, USA, in July of 2012, organized by the Mind Science Foundation of San Antonio, Texas. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of subjectivity in humans and other animals, including empirical, applied, technical, and conceptual insights. These include the evidence for the importance of fronto-parietal connectivity and of “top-down” processes, both of which enable information to travel across distant cortical areas effectively, as well as numerous dissociations between consciousness and cognitive functions, such as attention, in humans. In addition, we describe the development of mental imagery paradigms, which made it possible to identify covert awareness in non-responsive subjects. Non-human animal consciousness research has also witnessed substantial advances on the specific role of cortical areas and higher order thalamus for consciousness, thanks to important technological enhancements. In addition, much progress has been made in the understanding of non-vertebrate cognition relevant to possible conscious states. Finally, major advances have been made in theories of consciousness, and also in their comparison with the available evidence. Along with reviewing these findings, each author suggests future avenues for research in their field of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Boly
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, Center for Sleep and Consciousness, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, USA ; Coma Science Group, Cyclotron Research Centre and Neurology Department, University of Liege and CHU Sart Tilman Hospital Liege, Belgium
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Shimamoto Y, Kitamura H, Niimi K, Yoshikawa Y, Hoshi F, Ishizuka M, Takahashi E. Selection of suitable reference genes for mRNA quantification studies using common marmoset tissues. Mol Biol Rep 2013; 40:6747-55. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-013-2791-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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42
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The role of harmonic resolvability in pitch perception in a vocal nonhuman primate, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). J Neurosci 2013; 33:9161-8. [PMID: 23699526 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0066-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitch is one of the most fundamental percepts in the auditory system and can be extracted using either spectral or temporal information in an acoustic signal. Although pitch perception has been extensively studied in human subjects, it is far less clear how nonhuman primates perceive pitch. We have addressed this question in a series of behavioral studies in which marmosets, a vocal nonhuman primate species, were trained to discriminate complex harmonic tones differing in either spectral (fundamental frequency [f0]) or temporal envelope (repetition rate) cues. We found that marmosets used temporal envelope information to discriminate pitch for acoustic stimuli with higher-order harmonics and lower f0 values and spectral information for acoustic stimuli with lower-order harmonics and higher f0 values. We further measured frequency resolution in marmosets using a psychophysical task in which pure tone thresholds were measured as a function of notched noise masker bandwidth. Results show that only the first four harmonics are resolved at low f0 values and up to 16 harmonics are resolved at higher f0 values. Resolvability in marmosets is different from that in humans, where the first five to nine harmonics are consistently resolved across most f0 values, and is likely the result of a smaller marmoset cochlea. In sum, these results show that marmosets use two mechanisms to extract pitch (harmonic templates [spectral] for resolved harmonics, and envelope extraction [temporal] for unresolved harmonics) and that species differences in stimulus resolvability need to be taken into account when investigating and comparing mechanisms of pitch perception across animals.
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Nakashima E, Okano Y, Niimi K, Takahashi E. Detection of calprotectin and apoptotic activity in the colon of marmosets with chronic diarrhea. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 75:1633-6. [PMID: 23884022 PMCID: PMC3942960 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.13-0257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset
(Callithrix jacchus) is used as a non-human primate laboratory animal.
Marmoset wasting syndrome (MWS) is a disease endemic to captive colonies, and the
pathogenesis is unclear. In the present study, marmosets with chronic bloody
high-viscosity diarrhea, which is a contributing factor to MWS, were evaluated, and
inflammation in the colon was found. Calprotectin is a surrogate marker of intestinal
inflammation and induces apoptosis. Marmosets with chronic diarrhea exhibited higher
levels of fecal calprotectin. Histochemical analyses showed high expression of
calprotectin in the extravascular neutrophils and apoptosis in the chronic colitis
lesions. No internal microbiological diseases were identified. Although the cause of
chronic colitis was not identified, the marmoset could be a useful model of inflammatory
bowel disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Nakashima
- Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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