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Jordan EJ, Völter CJ, Seed AM. Do capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus apella) use exploration to form intuitions about physical properties? Cogn Neuropsychol 2022; 38:531-543. [PMID: 35732407 DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2022.2088273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Humans' flexible innovation relies on our capacity to accurately predict objects' behaviour. These predictions may originate from a "physics-engine" in the brain which simulates our environment. To explore the evolutionary origins of intuitive physics, we investigate whether capuchin monkeys' object exploration supports learning. Two capuchin groups experienced exploration sessions involving multiple copies of two objects, one object was easily opened (functional), the other was not (non-functional). We used two within-subject conditions (enrichment-then-test, and test-only) with two object sets per group. Monkeys then underwent individual test sessions where the objects contained rewards, and they choose one to attempt to open. The monkeys spontaneously explored, performing actions which yielded functional information. At test, both groups chose functional objects above chance. While high performance of the test-only group precluded us from establishing learning during exploration, this study reveals the promise of harnessing primates' natural exploratory tendencies to understand how they see the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Jade Jordan
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Christoph J Völter
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Amanda M Seed
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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2
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Gilardeau S, Cirillo R, Jazayeri M, Dupuis C, Wirth S, Duhamel JR. Two functions of the primate amygdala in social gaze. Neuropsychologia 2021; 157:107881. [PMID: 33961862 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate gaze interaction is essential for primate social life. Prior studies have suggested the involvement of the amygdala in processing eye cues but its role in gaze behavior during live social exchanges remains unknown. We recorded the activity of neurons in the amygdala of two monkeys as they engaged in spontaneous visual interactions. We showed that monkeys adjust their oculomotor behavior and actively seek to interact with each other through mutual gaze. During fixations on the eye region, some amygdala neurons responded with short latency and more strongly to mutual than non-reciprocal gaze (averted gaze). Other neurons responded with long latency and were more strongly modulated by active, self-terminated mutual gaze fixations than by passively terminated ones. These results suggest that the amygdala not only participates to the evaluation of eye contact, but also plays a role in the timing of fixations which is crucial for adaptive social interactions through gaze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Gilardeau
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France
| | - Rossella Cirillo
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France
| | - Mina Jazayeri
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France
| | - Chloé Dupuis
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France
| | - Sylvia Wirth
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France
| | - Jean-René Duhamel
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, 67 Boulevard Pinel, 69675, Bron Cedex, France.
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3
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Ballesta S, Sadoughi B, Miss F, Whitehouse J, Aguenounon G, Meunier H. Assessing the reliability of an automated method for measuring dominance hierarchy in non-human primates. Primates 2021; 62:595-607. [PMID: 33847852 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00909-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Among animal societies, dominance is an important social factor that influences inter-individual relationships. However, assessing dominance hierarchy can be a time-consuming activity which is potentially impeded by environmental factors, difficulties in the recognition of animals, or disturbance of animals during data collection. Here we took advantage of novel devices, machines for automated learning and testing (MALT), designed primarily to study non-human primate cognition, to additionally measure the dominance hierarchy of a semi-free-ranging primate group. When working on a MALT, an animal can be replaced by another, which could reflect an asymmetric dominance relationship. To assess the reliability of our method, we analysed a sample of the automated conflicts with video scoring and found that 74% of these replacements included genuine forms of social displacements. In 10% of the cases, we did not identify social interactions and in the remaining 16% we observed affiliative contacts between the monkeys. We analysed months of daily use of MALT by up to 26 semi-free-ranging Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and found that dominance relationships inferred from these interactions strongly correlated with the ones derived from observations of spontaneous agonistic interactions collected during the same time period. An optional filtering procedure designed to exclude chance-driven displacements or affiliative contacts suggests that the presence of 26% of these interactions in data sets did not impair the reliability of this new method. We demonstrate that this method can be used to assess the dynamics of both individual social status, and group-wide hierarchical stability longitudinally with minimal research labour. Further, it facilitates a continuous assessment of dominance hierarchies in captive groups, even during unpredictable environmental or challenging social events, which underlines the usefulness of this method for group management purposes. Altogether, this study supports the use of MALT as a reliable tool to automatically and dynamically assess dominance hierarchy within captive groups of non-human primates, including juveniles, under conditions in which such technology can be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Ballesta
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France. .,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.
| | - Baptiste Sadoughi
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.,Oniris - Nantes Atlantic College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Nantes, France
| | - Fabia Miss
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Whitehouse
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Géraud Aguenounon
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Hélène Meunier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
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Whittaker AL, Hickman DL. The Impact of Social and Behavioral Factors on Reproducibility in Terrestrial Vertebrate Models. ILAR J 2020; 60:252-269. [PMID: 32720675 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of animal models remains critical in preclinical and translational research. The reliability of the animal models and aspects of their validity is likely key to effective translation of findings to medicine. However, despite considerable uniformity in animal models brought about by control of genetics, there remain a number of social as well as innate and acquired behavioral characteristics of laboratory animals that may impact on research outcomes. These include the effects of strain and genetics, age and development, sex, personality and affective states, and social factors largely brought about by housing and husbandry. In addition, aspects of the testing environment may also influence research findings. A number of considerations resulting from the animals' innate and acquired behavioral characteristics as well as their social structures are described. Suggestions for minimizing the impact of these factors on research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L Whittaker
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, South Australia, Australia
| | - Debra L Hickman
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
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ManyPrimates, Aguenounon GS, Ballesta S, Beaud A, Bustamante L, Canteloup C, Joly M, Loyant L, Meunier H, Roig A, Troisi CA, Zablocki-Thomas P. ManyPrimates : une infrastructure de collaboration internationale dans la recherche en cognition des primates. REVUE DE PRIMATOLOGIE 2020. [DOI: 10.4000/primatologie.8808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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ISODA M, NORITAKE A, NINOMIYA T. Development of social systems neuroscience using macaques. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2018; 94:305-323. [PMID: 30078829 PMCID: PMC6117490 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.94.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the literature on social neuroscience studies using macaques in the hope of encouraging as many researchers as possible to participate in this field of research and thereby accelerate the system-level understanding of social cognition and behavior. We describe how different parts of the primate brain are engaged in different aspects of social information processing, with particular emphasis on the use of experimental paradigms involving more than one monkey in laboratory settings. The description begins with how individual neurons are used for evaluating socially relevant information, such as the identity, face, and focus of attention of others in various social contexts. A description of the neural bases of social reward processing and social action monitoring follows. Finally, we provide several perspectives on novel experimental strategies to help clarify the nature of interacting brains under more socially and ecologically plausible conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki ISODA
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Atsushi NORITAKE
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Taihei NINOMIYA
- Division of Behavioral Development, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
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Reply to Cronin: Consistency between decision-making, gaze, and natural social behavior validates inferences on macaque social cognition. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E1332-3. [DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1600687113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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8
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Ballesta S, Reymond G, Pozzobon M, Duhamel JR. Effects of MDMA Injections on the Behavior of Socially-Housed Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147136. [PMID: 26840064 PMCID: PMC4739726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methyl amphetamine (MDMA) is one of the few known molecules to increase human and rodent prosocial behaviors. However, this effect has never been assessed on the social behavior of non-human primates. In our study, we subcutaneously injected three different doses of MDMA (1.0, 1.5 or 2.0mg/kg) to a group of three, socially housed, young male long-tailed macaques. More than 200 hours of behavioral data were recorded, during 68 behavioral sessions, by an automatic color-based video device that tracked the 3D positions of each animal and of a toy. This data was then categorized into 5 exclusive behaviors (resting, locomotion, foraging, social contact and object play). In addition, received and given social grooming was manually scored. Results show several significant dose-dependent behavioral effects. At 1.5mg/kg only, MDMA induces a significant increase in social grooming behavior, thus confirming the prosocial effect of MDMA in macaques. Additionally, at 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg MDMA injection substantially decreases foraging behavior, which is consistent with the known anorexigenic effect of this compound. Furthermore, at 2.0 mg/kg MDMA injection induces an increase in locomotor behavior, which is also in accordance with its known stimulant property. Interestingly, MDMA injected at 1.0mg/kg increases the rate of object play, which might be interpreted as a decrease of the inhibition to manipulate a unique object in presence of others, or, as an increase of the intrinsic motivation to manipulate this object. Together, our results support the effectiveness of MDMA to study the complex neurobiology of primates' social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Ballesta
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France
- Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gilles Reymond
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France
- Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Matthieu Pozzobon
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France
- Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jean-René Duhamel
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69675 Bron, France
- Département de Biologie Humaine, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
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Abstract
Primates live in highly social environments, where prosocial behaviors promote social bonds and cohesion and contribute to group members' fitness. Despite a growing interest in the biological basis of nonhuman primates' social interactions, their underlying motivations remain a matter of debate. We report that macaque monkeys take into account the welfare of their peers when making behavioral choices bringing about pleasant or unpleasant outcomes to a monkey partner. Two macaques took turns in making decisions that could impact their own welfare or their partner's. Most monkeys were inclined to refrain from delivering a mildly aversive airpuff and to grant juice rewards to their partner. Choice consistency between these two types of outcome suggests that monkeys display coherent motivations in different social interactions. Furthermore, spontaneous affilitative group interactions in the home environment were mostly consistent with the measured social decisions, thus emphasizing the impact of preexisting social bonds on decision-making. Interestingly, unique behavioral markers predicted these decisions: benevolence was associated with enhanced mutual gaze and empathic eye blinking, whereas indifference or malevolence was associated with lower or suppressed such responses. Together our results suggest that prosocial decision-making is sustained by an intrinsic motivation for social affiliation and controlled through positive and negative vicarious reinforcements.
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