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Neal Webb S, Schapiro S. Locomotion as a Measure of Well-Being in Captive Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050803. [PMID: 36899659 PMCID: PMC10000181 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Locomotion in non-human primates, including walking, climbing, and brachiating among other types of movement (but not pacing), is a species-typical behavior that varies with age, social housing conditions, and environmental factors (e.g., season, food availability, physical housing conditions). Given that captive primates are typically observed to engage in lower levels of locomotor behaviors than their wild counterparts, increases in locomotion are generally considered to be indicative of improved welfare in captivity. However, increases in locomotion do not always occur with improvements in welfare, and sometimes occur under conditions of negative arousal. The use of time spent in locomotion as a welfare indicator in studies of well-being is relatively limited. We conducted focal animal observations on 120 captive chimpanzees across a series of studies and found higher percentages of time spent in locomotion (1) upon transfer to a new enclosure type, (2) in larger groups with wider within-group age ranges, and fewer males, and (3) with participation in an experimental medication choice paradigm. We also found that, among geriatric chimpanzees, those housed in nongeriatric groups exhibited more locomotion than those living in geriatric groups. Lastly, locomotion was significantly negatively correlated with several indicators of poor welfare and significantly positively correlated with behavioral diversity, one indicator of positive welfare. Overall, the increases in time spent in locomotion observed in these studies were part of an overall behavioral pattern indicative of enhanced welfare, suggesting that an increase in time spent in locomotion itself may be an indicator of enhanced welfare. As such, we suggest that levels of locomotion, which are typically assessed in most behavioral experiments, may be used more explicitly as indicators of welfare in chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Neal Webb
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 78602, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Steven Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 78602, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, The University of Copenhagen, Nørregade 10, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark
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2
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Adriaense JEC, Šlipogor V, Hintze S, Marshall L, Lamm C, Bugnyar T. Watching others in a positive state does not induce optimism bias in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), but leads to behaviour indicative of competition. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:1039-1056. [PMID: 33725202 PMCID: PMC8360889 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01497-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Emotional contagion is suggested to facilitate group life by enhancing synchronized responses to the environment. Cooperative breeders are an example of a social system that requires such intricate coordination between individuals. Therefore, we studied emotional contagion in common marmosets by means of a judgement bias test. Demonstrators were exposed to an emotion manipulation (i.e., positive, negative, control), and observers perceived only the demonstrator's behaviour. We predicted that the positive or negative states of the demonstrator would induce matching states in the observer, indicating emotional contagion. All subjects' emotional states were assessed through behaviour and cognition, the latter by means of a judgement bias test. Behavioural results showed a successful emotion manipulation of demonstrators, with manipulation-congruent expressions (i.e., positive calls in the positive condition, and negative calls and pilo-erect tail in the negative condition). Observers showed no manipulation-congruent expressions, but showed more scratching and arousal after the positive manipulation. Concerning the judgement bias test, we predicted that subjects in a positive state should increase their response to ambiguous cues (i.e., optimism bias), and subjects in a negative state should decrease their response (i.e., pessimism bias). This prediction was not supported as neither demonstrators nor observers showed such bias in either manipulation. Yet, demonstrators showed an increased response to the near-positive cue, and additional analyses showed unexpected responses to the reference cues, as well as a researcher identity effect. We discuss all results combined, including recently raised validation concerns of the judgement bias test, and inherent challenges to empirically studying emotional contagion.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E C Adriaense
- Evolutionary Cognition Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - V Šlipogor
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Budweiss, Czech Republic
| | - S Hintze
- Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - L Marshall
- Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - C Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - T Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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3
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Herrod JA, Avelino JA, Schonvisky KM, Lynch JK, Hutchinson EK, Izzi JM. The use of midazolam as an appetite stimulant and anxiolytic in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). J Med Primatol 2021; 50:249-258. [PMID: 34318933 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food avoidance secondary to disease or stress can lead to weight loss and rapid deterioration of clinical condition in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Currently, there are no data supporting the use of any pharmaceuticals as an appetite stimulant in this species; however, benzodiazepines are frequently used for this purpose in other species. METHODS Six marmosets were used in a crossover study design to evaluate the benzodiazepine midazolam as an appetite stimulant and anxiolytic. Total food intake (TFI) and latency to eat (LTE) were measured following administration of oral and injectable midazolam in non-anxious and anxious states. RESULTS Injectable midazolam increased TFI and decreased LTE in anxious marmosets, but had no effect in non-anxious animals. Oral midazolam had no effect on appetite in either state. CONCLUSIONS Injectable midazolam may be an effective treatment for anxiety-induced inappetence in marmosets. Individual response to both oral and injectable midazolam may vary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ann Herrod
- Research Animal Resources, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Janelle Arcey Avelino
- Research Animal Resources, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,College of Veterinary Medicine, North Caroline State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Kayla Marie Schonvisky
- Research Animal Resources, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Kay Lynch
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric Kenneth Hutchinson
- Research Animal Resources, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Marie Izzi
- Research Animal Resources, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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de Sousa MBC, de Meiroz Grilo MLP, Galvão-Coelho NL. Natural and Experimental Evidence Drives Marmosets for Research on Psychiatric Disorders Related to Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:674256. [PMID: 34177478 PMCID: PMC8227430 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.674256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the behavioral ecology of marmosets carried out in their natural habitat associated with the advent of a non-invasive technique for measuring steroid hormones in feces has made a significant contribution to understanding their social relationships and sexual strategies. These studies showed that they are mainly monogamous, live in relatively stable social groups according to a social hierarchy in which females compete and males cooperate, and form social bonds similar to humans, which makes this species a potential animal model to study disorders related to social stress. In addition, laboratory studies observed the expression of behaviors similar to those in nature and deepened the descriptions of their social and reproductive strategies. They also characterized their responses to the challenge using behavioral, cognitive, physiological, and genetic approaches that were sexually dimorphic and influenced by age and social context. These findings, added to some advantages which indicate good adaptation to captivity and the benefits of the birth of twins, small size, and life cycle in comparison to primates of the Old World, led to their use as animal models for validating psychiatric diseases such as major depression. Juvenile marmosets have recently been used to develop a depression model and to test a psychedelic brew called Ayahuasca from the Amazon rainforest as an alternative treatment for major depression, for which positive results have been found which encourage further studies in adolescents. Therefore, we will review the experimental evidence obtained so far and discuss the extension of the marmoset as an animal model for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bernardete Cordeiro de Sousa
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,Postgraduation Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,Postgraduation Program in Neuroscience, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,Laboratory of Advanced Studies in Primates, UFRN-Brazil, and Laboratory of Hormone Measurement, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Natal, Brazil
| | - Maria Lara Porpino de Meiroz Grilo
- Postgraduation Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,Laboratory of Advanced Studies in Primates, UFRN-Brazil, and Laboratory of Hormone Measurement, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Natal, Brazil
| | - Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho
- Postgraduation Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,Laboratory of Advanced Studies in Primates, UFRN-Brazil, and Laboratory of Hormone Measurement, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Natal, Brazil.,Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Translational Medicine, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
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5
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Ash H, Smith TE, Buchanan-Smith HM. The long-term impact of infant rearing background on the behavioural and physiological stress response of adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Santangelo AM, Ito M, Shiba Y, Clarke HF, Schut EHS, Cockcroft G, Ferguson-Smith AC, Roberts AC. Novel Primate Model of Serotonin Transporter Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Gene Expression, Anxiety and Sensitivity to Antidepressants. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2366-76. [PMID: 26997299 PMCID: PMC4946067 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Genetic polymorphisms in the repeat upstream region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) are associated with individual differences in stress reactivity, vulnerability to affective disorders, and response to pharmacotherapy. However, the molecular, neurodevelopmental and psychopharmacological mechanisms underlying the link between SLC6A4 polymorphisms and the emotionally vulnerable phenotype are not fully understood. Thus, using the marmoset monkey Callithrix jacchus we characterize here a new neurobiological model to help to address these questions. We first sequenced the marmoset SLC6A4 promoter and identified a double nucleotide polymorphism (-2053AC/CT) and two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (-2022C/T and -1592G/C) within the repeat upstream region. We showed their association with gene expression using in vivo quantitative PCR and with affective behavior using a primate test of anxiety (human intruder test). The low-expressing haplotype (AC/C/G) was linked with high anxiety while the high-expressing one (CT/T/C) was associated with an active coping strategy in response to threat. Pharmacological challenge with an acute dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, revealed a genotype-dependent behavioral response. While individuals homozygous for the high anxiety-related haplotype AC/C/G exhibited a dose-dependent, anxiogenic response, individuals homozygous for the low anxiety-related haplotype CT/T/C showed an opposing, dose-dependent anxiolytic effect. These findings provide a novel genetic and behavioral primate model to study the molecular, neurodevelopmental, and psychopharmacological mechanisms that underlie genetic variation-associated complex behaviors, with specific implications for the understanding of normal and abnormal serotonin actions and the development of personalized pharmacological treatments for psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Santangelo
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK, Tel: +44 1223 339 012, Fax: +44 1223 339 014, E-mail:
| | - Mitsuteru Ito
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yoshiro Shiba
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hannah F Clarke
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Evelien HS Schut
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gemma Cockcroft
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Angela C Roberts
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Pontes JCC, Lima TZ, Queiroz CM, Cinini SM, Blanco MM, Mello LE. Seizures triggered by pentylenetetrazol in marmosets made chronically epileptic with pilocarpine show greater refractoriness to treatment. Epilepsy Res 2016; 126:16-25. [PMID: 27421091 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2016.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2016] [Revised: 05/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The efficiency of most of the new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on clinical trials still falls short the success reported in pre-clinical studies, possibly because the validity of the animal models is insufficient to fully represent the human pathology. To improve the translational value for testing AEDs, we propose the use of non-human primates. Here, we suggest that triggering limbic seizures with low doses of PTZ in pilocarpine-treated marmosets might provide a more effective basis for the development of AED. Marmosets with epileptic background were more susceptible to seizures induced by PTZ, which were at least 3 times longer and more severe (about 6 times greater frequency of generalized seizures) in comparison to naïve peers. Accordingly, PTZ-induced seizures were remarkably less attenuated by AEDs in epileptic than naïve marmosets. While phenobarbital (40mg/kg) virtually abolished seizures regardless of the animal's background, carbamazepine (120mg/kg) and valproic acid (400mg/kg) could not prevent PTZ-induced seizures in epileptic animals with the same efficiency as observed in naïve peers. VPA was less effective regarding the duration of individual seizures in epileptic animals, as assessed in ECoG (p=0.05). Similarly following CBZ treatment, the behavioral manifestation of generalized seizures lasted longer in epileptic (p<0.05), which were also more frequent than in the naïve group (p<0.05). As expected, epileptic marmosets experiencing stronger seizures showed more NPY- and ΔFosB-immunostained neurons in a number of brain areas associated with the generation and spread of limbic seizures. Our results suggest that PTZ induced seizures over an already existing epileptic background constitutes a reliable and controllable mean for the screening of new AEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josy Carolina C Pontes
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 669, 3 andar, São Paulo, SP 04039-032, Brazil
| | - Thiago Z Lima
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Avenida Albert Einstein, 627, São Paulo, SP 05652-000, Brazil
| | - Claudio M Queiroz
- Brain Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Avenida Nascimento de Castro, 2155, Natal, RN 59056-450, Brazil
| | - Simone M Cinini
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 669, 3 andar, São Paulo, SP 04039-032, Brazil
| | - Miriam M Blanco
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 669, 3 andar, São Paulo, SP 04039-032, Brazil
| | - Luiz E Mello
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo 669, 3 andar, São Paulo, SP 04039-032, Brazil.
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8
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de Sousa MBC, Galvão ACDM, Sales CJR, de Castro DC, Galvão-Coelho NL. Endocrine and Cognitive Adaptations to Cope with Stress in Immature Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Sex and Age Matter. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:160. [PMID: 26648876 PMCID: PMC4663272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic sex differences in primates are associated with body differentiation during the early stages of life, expressed in both physiological and behavioral features. Hormones seem to play a pivotal role in creating a range of responses to meet environmental and social demands, resulting in better reactions to cope with challenges to survival and reproduction. Steroid hormones actively participate in neuroplasticity and steroids from both gonads and neurons seem to be involved in behavioral modulation in primates. Indirect evidence suggests the participation of sexual steroids in dimorphism of the stress response in common marmosets. This species is an important experimental model in psychiatry, and we found a dual profile for cortisol in the transition from juvenile to subadult, with females showing higher levels. Immature males and females at 6 and 9 months of age moved alone from the family group to a new cage, over a 21-day period, expressed distinct patterns of cortisol variation with respect to range and duration of response. Additional evidence showed that at 12 months of age, males and females buffered the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during chronic stress. Moreover, chronic stressed juvenile marmoset males showed better cognitive performance in working memory tests and motivation when compared to those submitted to short-term stress living in family groups. Thus, as cortisol profile seems to be sexually dimorphic before adulthood, age and sex are critical variables to consider in approaches that require immature marmosets in their experimental protocols. Moreover, available cognitive tests should be scrutinized to allow better investigation of cognitive traits in this species.
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9
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Neal SJ, Caine NG. Scratching under positive and negative arousal in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Am J Primatol 2015; 78:216-26. [PMID: 26530306 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Scratching has been widely used as an indicator of anxiety in many primate species. However, a handful of studies have shown no change in scratching under anxiety-provoking circumstances. In addition, the existing literature has investigated scratching only in relation to negative arousal (i.e., anxiety), even though anxiety and excitement (positive arousal) share important physiological and behavioral correlates, including increased heart rate, blood pressure, and locomotion. In the current study, we scored all instances of scratching in 11 outdoor-housed captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) during three contexts that were intended to be negatively arousing and three contexts that were intended to be positively arousing during a baseline, manipulation, and post-induction period. Summed across the three negative arousal contexts, the results showed that subjects exhibited significantly lower scratching rates during the manipulation than during either the baseline or post-induction periods, and the pattern of means was the same for all three of those contexts. Under the three contexts of positive arousal, subjects exhibited different patterns of scratching rates during the manipulation periods (play = increases, foraging = decreases, food anticipation = no change). Data from the current study, and a close examination of data from studies showing no change in scratching under anxiety-provoking circumstances, suggest that the anxiety-scratching relationship may be more complex than has been reported previously. Our results raise a potential concern about the unchallenged use of scratching as a behavioral indicator of anxiety in captive non-human primates, with important implications for welfare and management of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Neal
- California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, California
| | - Nancy G Caine
- California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, California
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10
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Watson CF, Buchanan-Smith HM, Caldwell CA. Call playback artificially generates a temporary cultural style of high affiliation in marmosets. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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11
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Wang Y, Fang Q, Gong N. A modified light-dark box test for the common marmoset. Neurosci Bull 2014; 30:394-400. [PMID: 24638903 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-013-1426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has attracted extensive attention for use as a non-human primate model in biomedical research, especially in the study of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, behavioral test methods are still limited in the field of marmoset research. The light-dark box is widely used for the evaluation of anxiety in rodents, but little is known about light-dark preference in marmosets. Here, we modified the light-dark test to study this behavior. The modified apparatus consisted of three compartments: one transparent open area and two closed opaque compartments. The closed compartments could be dark or light. We found that both adult and young marmosets liked to explore the open area, but the young animals showed more interest than adults. Furthermore, when one of the closed compartments was light and the other dark, the adult marmosets showed a preference for the dark compartment, but the young animals had no preference. These results suggest that the exploratory behavior and the light-dark preference in marmosets are age-dependent. Our study provides a new method to study exploration, anxiety, and fear in marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Wang
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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12
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Cordoni G, Norscia I. Peace-making in marsupials: the first study in the red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus). PLoS One 2014; 9:e86859. [PMID: 24489796 PMCID: PMC3906073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The issue of reconciliation has been widely investigated in many eutherian mammal species. Nevertheless, no data are available for marsupial mammals. Indeed, the majority of reports focus on group dynamics from an ecological and reproductive perspective, but no study has investigated them from a social point of view. We observed the red-necked wallaby colony (Macropus rufogriseus) hosted at the Tierparc Zoo Berlin (Germany) and collected data on aggressive and post-conflict interactions between group members. We found that the phenomenon of reconciliation is present in the study species (mean group CCT 27.40% ± 8.89% SE). Therefore, we demonstrated, for the first time, the occurrence of reconciliation in a gregarious marsupial mammal. Post-conflict reunion was not affected by the relationship quality between individuals (friendship or kinship) but it was fine-tuned according to the aggression intensity. For example, low intensity conflicts were reconciled whereas high intensity ones were not. Reconciliation reduced anxiety-related scratching in both of the former opponents and limited further attacks towards the victim during the post-conflict period. These findings suggest that the red-necked wallaby, like many eutherian species, can evaluate the costs of reconciliation and engage in peace-making behavior in the right contexts, in order to maximize its pay-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Cordoni
- Museo di Storia Naturale - University of Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Museo di Storia Naturale - University of Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
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13
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Molesti S, Majolo B. Grooming increases self-directed behaviour in wild Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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14
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de Boer RA, Overduin-de Vries AM, Louwerse AL, Sterck EH. The behavioral context of visual displays in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Am J Primatol 2013; 75:1084-95. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Revised: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raïssa A. de Boer
- Ethology Research, Animal Science Department; Biomedical Primate Research Center; Rijswijk The Netherlands
- Animal Ecology; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Anne M. Overduin-de Vries
- Ethology Research, Animal Science Department; Biomedical Primate Research Center; Rijswijk The Netherlands
| | - Annet L. Louwerse
- Animal Science Department; Biomedical Primate Research Centre; Rijswijk The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth H.M. Sterck
- Ethology Research, Animal Science Department; Biomedical Primate Research Center; Rijswijk The Netherlands
- Animal Ecology; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
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15
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Polizzi di Sorrentino E, Schino G, Tiddi B, Aureli F. Scratching as a Window into the Emotional Responses of Wild Tufted Capuchin Monkeys. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriele Schino
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, C.N.R; Roma; Italy
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16
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Yokoyama C, Kawasaki A, Hayashi T, Onoe H. Linkage between the midline cortical serotonergic system and social behavior traits: positron emission tomography studies of common marmosets. Cereb Cortex 2012; 23:2136-45. [PMID: 22791806 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin is known to play an important role not only in regulating emotional behaviors, but also in the formation of social behavior traits. To determine the location and serotonin function of brain areas involved in social behavior traits, we tested serotonin transporter (SERT) binding and neural activity linked with the social behaviors of common marmosets with positron emission tomography using [(11)C]-3-amino-4-(2-dimetylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile and [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose, respectively. Factor analysis of behavioral measures during a direct encounter between unfamiliar adult males identified three classes of social behavioral traits: (1) aggressive, (2) anxious, and (3) unfriendly (opposite of friendly). Voxel-based analysis revealed a significant association between SERT binding with the social behavioral traits in the midline cortical subregions. Aggressive and friendly traits are localized to the posterior cingulate cortex, and the anxious trait is localized to the anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, neural activity and functional connectivity of the posterior and anterior cingulate cortices appear to be altered depending on the social situation. These results suggest that the midline cortical serotonergic system is crucial in social behavior traits and its subregions are functionally segregated in socio-emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Yokoyama
- Functional Probe Research Laboratory, RIKEN Center for Molecular Imaging Science, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
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17
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Buchanan-Smith HM, Badihi I. The psychology of control: Effects of control over supplementary light on welfare of marmosets. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Scratching around mating: factors affecting anxiety in wild Lemur catta. Primates 2012; 53:247-54. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-012-0294-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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19
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Ågmo A, Smith AS, Birnie AK, French JA. Behavioral characteristics of pair bonding in the black tufted-ear marmoset ( Callithrix penicillata). BEHAVIOUR 2012; 149:407-440. [PMID: 30504964 PMCID: PMC6261535 DOI: 10.1163/156853912x638454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The present study describes how the development of a pair bond modifies social, sexual and aggressive behavior. Five heterosexual pairs of marmosets, previously unknown to each other, were formed at the beginning of the study. At the onset of pairing, social, sexual, exploratory and aggressive behaviors were recorded for 40 min. The animals were then observed for 20 min, both in the morning and afternoon for 21 days. The frequency and/or duration of behaviors recorded on Day 1 were compared to those recorded at later observations. The behavior displayed shortly after pairing should be completely unaffected by the pair bond, while such a bond should be present at later observations. Thus, it was possible to determine how the behavior between the pair was modified by the development of a pair bond. Social behaviors increased from Day 1 to Days 2-6 and all subsequent days observed. Conversely, other behaviors, such as open mouth displays (usually considered to be an invitation to sexual activity), had a high frequency during the early part of cohabitation but declined towards the end. Consequently, pair bonding manifests itself in an increased intensity of social behaviors. It is suggested that the intrinsically rewarding properties of grooming and perhaps other social behaviors turn the pair mate into a positive incentive, activating approach and further interactions when possible. Thus, the pair bond may be a motivational state activated by the conditioned incentive properties of the partner. This notion can explain all forms of pair bonds, including those occurring between individuals of the same sex and in promiscuous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Adam S. Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Andrew K. Birnie
- Department of Psychology and Callitrichid Research Facility, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. French
- Department of Psychology and Callitrichid Research Facility, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
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20
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Saltzman W, Boettcher CA, Post JL, Abbott DH. Inhibition of maternal behaviour by central infusion of corticotrophin-releasing hormone in marmoset monkeys. J Neuroendocrinol 2011; 23:1139-48. [PMID: 21554432 PMCID: PMC3166357 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02153.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Stress can inhibit maternal behaviour and increase rates of child abuse in humans and other animals; however, the neuroendocrine mechanisms are not known. To determine whether corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a role in stress-induced disruption of maternal behaviour in primates, we characterised the effects of acute i.c.v. infusions of CRH on maternal and abusive behaviour in common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). Nulliparous females were implanted with indwelling i.c.v. guide cannulae before conception. Between 18 and 58 days after the birth of her first infants, each female underwent a series of i.c.v. infusions of human CRH (0, 2, 8 and 25 μg) in 8 μl of artificial cerebrospinal fluid. In the 70 min after infusion, marmosets were tested with one of their infants, first in their home cage and, subsequently, in an unfamiliar cage in which the infant was confined in a transparent box on the cage floor. In the home cage, the highest dose of CRH significantly reduced the amount of time that mothers spent carrying their infants, as compared to vehicle alone, although it did not reliably affect aggression toward the infant or other behaviours. In the confined-infant test, the highest dose of CRH significantly reduced the amount of time that mothers spent on the cage floor, increased mothers' vocalisation rates, and tended to reduce their activity levels and time spent in proximity to their infant. Twenty-five micrograms of CRH also elicited significant elevations in plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol concentrations compared to vehicle. These results indicate that i.c.v.-administered CRH reduces maternal behaviour in marmoset mothers, in both familiar and unfamiliar environments, but does not increase infant abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Saltzman
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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21
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Jaggi AS, Bhatia N, Kumar N, Singh N, Anand P, Dhawan R. A review on animal models for screening potential anti-stress agents. Neurol Sci 2011; 32:993-1005. [PMID: 21927881 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-011-0770-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Stress is a state of threatened homeostasis that produces different physiological as well as pathological changes depending on severity, type and duration of stress. The animal models are pivotal for understanding the pathophysiology of stress-induced behavioral alterations and development of effective therapy for its optimal management. A battery of models has been developed to simulate the clinical pain conditions with diverse etiology. An ideal animal model should be able to reproduce each of the aspects of stress response and should be able to mimic the natural progression of the disease. The present review describes the different types of acute and chronic stress models including immersion in cold water with no escape, cold environment isolation, immobilization/restraint-induced stress, cold-water restraint stress, electric foot shock-induced stress, forced swimming-induced stress, food-deprived activity stress, neonatal isolation-induced stress, predatory stress, day-night light change-induced stress, noise-induced stress, model of post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic unpredictable stress models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amteshwar Singh Jaggi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002, India
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22
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The Effect of Crowding on the Social Behavior of the Cooperatively Breeding Cotton-Top Tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). INT J PRIMATOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-011-9534-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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23
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Snowdon CT, Tannenbaum PL, Schultz-Darken NJ, Ziegler TE, Ferris CF. Conditioned sexual arousal in a nonhuman primate. Horm Behav 2011; 59:696-701. [PMID: 21029736 PMCID: PMC3043118 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2010] [Accepted: 10/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Conditioning of sexual arousal has been demonstrated in several species from fish to humans but has not been demonstrated in nonhuman primates. Controversy exists over whether nonhuman primates produce pheromones that arouse sexual behavior. Although common marmosets copulate throughout the ovarian cycle and during pregnancy, males exhibit behavioral signs of arousal, demonstrate increased neural activation of anterior hypothalamus and medial preoptic area, and have an increase in serum testosterone after exposure to odors of novel ovulating females suggestive of a sexually arousing pheromone. Males also have increased androgens prior to their mate's ovulation. However, males presented with odors of ovulating females demonstrate activation of many other brain areas associated with motivation, memory, and decision making. In this study, we demonstrate that male marmosets can be conditioned to a novel, arbitrary odor (lemon) with observation of erections, and increased exploration of the location where they previously experienced a receptive female, and increased scratching in post-conditioning test without a female present. This conditioned response was demonstrated up to a week after the end of conditioning trials, a much longer lasting effect of conditioning than reported in studies of other species. These results further suggest that odors of ovulating females are not pheromones, strictly speaking and that marmoset males may learn specific characteristics of odors of females providing a possible basis for mate identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles T Snowdon
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, 1202 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53606, USA.
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Bassett L, Buchanan-Smith HM, McKinley J, Smith TE. Effects of Training on Stress-Related Behavior of the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) in Relation to Coping With Routine Husbandry Procedures. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2010; 6:221-33. [PMID: 14612270 DOI: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0603_07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Using positive reinforcement, J. McKinley trained 12 common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) to provide urine samples on request. The study then exposed the marmosets to mildly stressful, routine husbandry procedures (i.e., capture and weighing). The nonhuman animals spent less time inactive poststressor as opposed to prestressor. L. Bassett collected matched behavioral data from 12 nontrained marmosets who were less accustomed to human interaction. These animals spent significantly more time self-scratching and locomoting as well as less time inactive, poststressor. Collapsed data from the 2 populations showed increased scent marking, poststressor. These results suggest that locomotion, self-scratching, and scent marking are useful, noninvasive behavioral measures of stress and, thus, reduced welfare in the common marmoset. Overall, nontrained animals showed more self-scratching than did their trained counterparts. It was not possible to collect urine from nontrained marmosets. In response to the stressor, however, trained animals showed no significant change in excreted urinary cortisol. These results suggest that training marmosets may allow them to cope better with routine laboratory procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois Bassett
- Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Scotland.
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25
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Manciocco A, Chiarotti F, Vitale A. Effects of positive interaction with caretakers on the behaviour of socially housed common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2009.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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Emile N, Barros M. Recognition of a 3D snake model and its 2D photographic image by captive black tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix penicillata). Anim Cogn 2009; 12:725-32. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-009-0234-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2008] [Revised: 04/30/2009] [Accepted: 05/01/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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27
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Barros M, Maior RS, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Predatory stress as an experimental strategy to measure fear and anxiety-related behaviors in non-human primates. Rev Neurosci 2008; 19:157-69. [PMID: 18751522 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro.2008.19.2-3.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Natural defense-inducing stimuli are being increasingly exploited as a means to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying normal and pathological anxiety, as well as for the screening of new compounds with potential therapeutic use in human anxiety disorders. Such an approach, frequently used in rodents, has recently been employed in the Marmoset Predator Confrontation Test (MPCT). In this method, marmoset monkeys are individually confronted with a taxidermized predator (wild oncilla cat) in a previously habituated maze environment, while several easily discernable fear/anxiety-related behaviors are measured. Confrontation with the cat stimulus significantly altered ongoing behaviors, each habituating distinctively during repeated exposures; e.g. complete rapid habituation (alarm call), complete slow habituation (exploration, vigilance) or only partial habituation (proximity avoidance). Pharmacological validating studies with diazepam and buspirone induced a significant dose-dependent reversal of the fear-induced proximic avoidance and scratching/scent-marking behaviors, while exploration (smell/lick the maze, leg stand) was found to increase. The neuropeptide substance P and the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 resulted in a similar anxiolytic-like profile. The response pattern observed was not influenced by social isolation, handling/manual restraint, novel environment exposure or habituation to the stimulus or its location. Persistent defensive behavior and response pattern to diazepam was observed when naive versus MPCT-experienced marmosets were tested following a recent predatory stress. Taken together, the results indicate that the MPCT is a valuable experimental procedure to measure fear and anxiety-related behaviors in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia DF, Brazil.
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28
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Behavioral characterization of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in the marmoset. Epilepsy Behav 2008; 13:70-6. [PMID: 18337181 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2007] [Revised: 01/20/2008] [Accepted: 02/10/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to characterize seizures induced with pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) in marmosets. Thirteen adult marmosets (Callithrix sp.) received 20, 30, or 40 mg/kg of PTZ intraperitoneally. PTZ caused all animals to switch their natural behavioral repertoire to early convulsive behavior. Seizure scores were low at lower PTZ doses, whereas the highest dose of PTZ led to seizure scores IV and V (according to Racine's scale) in 69% of animals. To further characterize the model we performed a preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of three antiepileptic drugs: phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine. Phenobarbital prevented PTZ-induced seizures in 100% of trials. As expected, phenytoin and carbamazepine were not effective against PTZ-induced seizures. The present study describes the PTZ model of seizures in marmosets with a drug-response profile similar to that of the rodent model, thus bringing to a well-known model (PTZ in rodents) the complexity of a nonhuman primate brain.
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29
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Galväo-Coelho N, Silva H, Leäo A, Sousa Μ. Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) as a Potential Animal Model for Studying Psychological Disorders Associated with High and Low Responsiveness of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ad renal Axis. Rev Neurosci 2008. [DOI: 10.1515/revneuro.2008.19.2-3.187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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30
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Silva MADS, Topic B, Lamounier-Zepter V, Huston JP, Tomaz C, Barros M. Evidence for hemispheric specialization in the marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) based on lateralization of behavioral/neurochemical correlations. Brain Res Bull 2007; 74:416-28. [PMID: 17920450 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2007.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2007] [Revised: 06/25/2007] [Accepted: 07/12/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A correlative study between behavioral, neurochemical and hormonal measures was conducted on male black tufted-ear marmoset monkeys (Callithrix penicillata). Behavioral analysis was performed in order to examine the effects of confrontation with a natural predator (taxidermized oncilla cat, Felis tigrina). The subjects were subjected to four trials without predator, six confrontation trials with predator present, and four trials with the predator removed. Handedness was analyzed by the frequency with which they performed scratching, grooming and hanging behaviors with the left or right hands. The animals' brains were subjected to ex vivo neurochemical analysis of several structures from both hemispheres. The content of monoamines, acetycholine and metabolites were analyzed by HPLC-ED. Plasma levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) were analyzed by chemoluminescence immunoassay. Testosterone plasma concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. Higher levels of dopamine and acetylcholine were detected in the right caudate/putamen, in comparison to the left. For the remaining areas, similar levels were observed in both hemispheres. A hand preference between and within the behaviors scored was not detected. However, correlative analyses revealed complex interactions between the behavioral and neurochemical measures, particularly in the left hemisphere. Lateralized correlations were found in relation to brain site, type of behavior, neurochemical parameter and treatment condition, thus providing evidence for functional brain asymmetries in this species. Interhemispheric comparisons of neurochemical/behavioral correlations appear to be a promising approach towards delineating hemispheric specialization of functions in this, and perhaps, other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A de Souza Silva
- Institute of Physiological Psychology, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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31
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Barros M, Giorgetti M, Souto AAV, Vilela G, Santos K, Boas NV, Tomaz C. Persistent anxiety-like behavior in marmosets following a recent predatory stress condition: reversal by diazepam. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2007; 86:705-11. [PMID: 17391742 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2007.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2006] [Revised: 02/13/2007] [Accepted: 02/13/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Initial investigations indicated the use of the Marmoset Predator Confrontation Test (MPCT) as an experimental procedure to measure fear/anxiety-related behaviors in non-human primates. However, possible long-term habituation effects and re-use of experimental subjects need to be verified. This study, therefore, compared the behavioral response of experienced versus naïve adult black tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) in the MPCT, with/without diazepam administrations. Subjects were tested in the figure-8 maze and confronted with a taxidermized wild-cat predator stimulus. After four initial 20-min maze habituation sessions, each subject was submitted to two randomly-assigned 20-min predator confrontation sessions: vehicle and 2 mg/kg of diazepam. Confrontation with the predator induced significant behavioral changes; i.e., proximic avoidance and tsik-tsik alarm call. Diazepam administration, concomitant to predator exposure, reversed the behavioral changes observed. In both the experienced and naïve marmosets a similar behavioral profile and response pattern to diazepam was detected, corroborating the important selective pressure that felines seem to have on marmoset behavioral ecology. Therefore, during a more naturalistic-like regimen--i.e., recurring intermittent predator encounters--the general response pattern remains highly consistent, regardless of prior experience. One may consider the re-use of marmoset subjects in the MPCT, particularly under these specific conditions (i.e. repeated 20-min confrontations, 72-h apart).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Primate Center and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, CEP 70910-900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
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32
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Refinement of the use of non-human primates in scientific research. Part II: housing, husbandry and acquisition. Anim Welf 2006. [DOI: 10.1017/s0962728600030451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn order to safeguard the welfare of laboratory-housed non-human primates, refinement techniques should be applied to every aspect of the life of animals used in the laboratory, from birth to death, with the aim of both minimising harm and maximising well-being. In this second part of a three-part review we summarise published information on housing and husbandry practices, and describe ways to minimise contingent inhumanity associated with the use of primates in laboratories and their breeding and supply (where inhumanity is defined as the infliction of distress). We also discuss methods by which the welfare of these animals can be maximised on a day-to-day basis. The principles of enrichment, aspects of the housing environment, social and physical enrichment and acquisition are discussed. Refinement of the influence of humans and experimental procedures are discussed in Parts I and III of this review, respectively.
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Food distribution effects on the behaviour of captive common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus. Anim Welf 2006. [DOI: 10.1017/s0962728600030219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
AbstractCommon marmosets, Callithrix jacchus, are widely used by research laboratories and are commonly provided with food in bowls. These centralised, unchallenging sources of food result in high foraging success for low foraging effort. Foraging devices, which require more skill and effort for foraging success, may broaden the behavioural profiles of marmosets by including more elements of their natural ethogram, reflecting improved welfare. The behaviour of eight female common marmosets was examined as a function of four different food distributions: food centrally located in a stationary bowl; food in a bowl that changed location each day; food centrally located in a stationary bowl, in addition to hidden food in a clustered food source (cluster feeder) or hidden food in dispersed food sources (dispersed feeders). Both the cluster and dispersed feeder distributions increased foraging, and there was a trend for reduced scratching and grooming in the presence of the feeders compared with the bowl-only treatments. The cluster feeder increased the amount of time a marmoset spent in a large room annexed to the home rooms more than the dispersed feeders, and this effect was sustained throughout the day after the feeders had been removed. Both feeders increased activity and movements within all areas of the annexed room compared with the bowl-only treatments; therefore, both feeder types improved the welfare of the captive marmosets more than the provision of food bowls.
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Kinnally EL, Jensen HA, Ewing JH, French JA. Serotonin function is associated with behavioral response to a novel conspecific in marmosets. Am J Primatol 2006; 68:812-24. [PMID: 16847970 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.20281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The function of the central nervous system neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) contributes to individual differences in impulsive behavior in humans and nonhuman primates. We investigated the relationship between 5-HT function and behavioral responses to a novel social scenario in marmosets. In the first study, marmosets (n=10) were treated orally with fluoxetine HCl (FLX) or vehicle for two trial periods and exposed to a novel conspecific for a 20-min trial following each treatment. Levels of behavioral inhibition in response to a novel conspecific were quantified. The animals exhibited less inhibition toward the novel conspecific following the 14-day FLX treatment than they did following the vehicle treatment. In the second study we first characterized the parameters of the marmoset peripheral 5-HT system and further assessed the relationship between natural variation in peripheral 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels with behavioral inhibition in response to a novel conspecific (n=14). Individual peripheral 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were higher in animals that exhibited more inhibition in response toward the stranger. We conclude that serotonergic influences play a role in behavioral response to a novel conspecific in marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Kinnally
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
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35
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Barros M, de Souza Silva MA, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Multibehavioral analysis of fear and anxiety before, during, and after experimentally induced predatory stress in Callithrix penicillata. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2005; 78:357-67. [PMID: 15219778 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2004.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2004] [Revised: 04/13/2004] [Accepted: 04/20/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A detailed behavioral analysis of nine Callithrix penicillata was conducted in the Marmoset Predator Confrontation Test (MPCT) during (a) four habituation trials with no "predator," (b) six confrontation trials with the predator (taxidermized oncilla cat, Felis tigrina), and (c) four trials with the predator removed. The marmosets habituated to the test apparatus with significant decreases in locomotion, exploration and long calls. Initial exposure to the predator elicited mainly fear-related behaviors (proximic avoidance, tsik-tsik vocalization, swaying/tongue in-out), whereas repeated confrontations attenuated these behaviors, concomitant to an increase in anxiety-associated responses (scratching/grooming/scent marking). The initial behavioral repertoire, observed before confrontations, was fully restored only upon removal of the predator. This easily discernable complex defensive behavioral repertoire is hoped to provide a comprehensive baseline for studying the biological substrates of fear/anxiety parameters in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Institute of Physiological Psychology and Center for Biological and Medical Research, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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36
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Pattison JC, Abbott DH, Saltzman W, Nguyen AD, Henderson G, Jing H, Pryce CR, Allen AJ, Conley AJ, Bird IM. Male marmoset monkeys express an adrenal fetal zone at birth, but not a zona reticularis in adulthood. Endocrinology 2005; 146:365-74. [PMID: 15459122 DOI: 10.1210/en.2004-0689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal human males produce high levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfo-conjugated form (DS) that decline within a few months of birth, due to regression of the adrenal fetal zone (FZ). Adult male humans and rhesus monkeys produce C19 steroids in abundance from the adrenal zona reticularis (ZR). Male marmoset monkeys produce DS at birth, but unlike humans and rhesus monkeys, do not produce comparable amounts of DHEA and DS in adulthood. To determine whether male marmosets express a functional ZR in adulthood, we examined adult and neonatal male marmosets for the presence of a ZR and FZ, respectively. Exogenous ACTH failed to stimulate DHEA or DS in adults, and dexamethasone treatment failed to suppress DHEA and DS, although cortisol levels changed as expected. In steroidogenic tissues, the key proteins necessary to synthesize C19 steroids from pregnenolone are P450c17, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced) oxido-reductase cytochrome P450 (reductase), and cytochromeb5 (cytb5). Adult adrenal cross sections showed P450c17 and reductase protein expression throughout the cortex but showed no expected decrease in 3beta-HSD and increase in cytb5 in the innermost region. Western analysis confirmed these data, demonstrating comparable P450c17 expression to rhesus monkeys, but not cytb5. HPLC analysis revealed similar 17alpha-hydroxylase action on pregnenolone for adult marmoset and rhesus adrenal microsomes but greatly diminished 17,20-lyase activity in marmosets. Neonatal marmoset adrenals exhibited staining indicative of a putative FZ (with P450c17, reduced 3beta-HSD and increased cytb5). We conclude that neonatal marmosets exhibit a C19 steroid-secreting FZ similar to humans, but adult males fail to acquire a functional ZR.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Christina Pattison
- Perinatal Research Laboratories, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53715, USA
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Barros M, Mello EL, Maior RS, Müller CP, de Souza Silva MA, Carey RJ, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Anxiolytic-like effects of the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY 100635 in non-human primates. Eur J Pharmacol 2003; 482:197-203. [PMID: 14660023 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2003.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Non-human primates provide important insights into the potential use of 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonists in treating human anxiety disorders and as research tools, given the existent inconsistencies in rodent tests. This study investigated the effects of the selective silent 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide trihydrochloride (WAY 100635), administered systemically, in an ethologically based fear/anxiety test in marmoset monkeys (Callithrix penicillata). Subjects were tested using a figure-eight maze and a taxidermized wild cat as 'predator' stimulus. After seven 30-min maze habituations in the absence of the 'predator', each animal was submitted to four pseudo-randomly assigned 30-min treatment trials in the presence of the 'predator': three WAY 100635 (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg, i.p.) sessions and a saline control trial. The 'predator' stimulus caused a significant fear-induced avoidance of the maze sections closest to where it was presented, indicating an anxiogenic effect. However, WAY 100635 treatment reversed, significantly and dose-dependently, this fear-induced avoidance behavior, while increasing maze exploration. Sedation was not observed. This is the first study to suggest an anxiolytic-like effect of the selective silent 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY 100635 in non-human primates, indicating its potential use as a therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, CEP 70910-900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil
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Majolo B, Buchanan-Smith HM, Bell J. Response to novel objects and foraging tasks by common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) female pairs. Lab Anim (NY) 2003; 32:32-8. [PMID: 12601387 DOI: 10.1038/laban0303-32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The authors analyze the effects of enrichment devices on the behavior of common marmoset female pairs, and determine which aspects of these devices are more likely to elicit explorative behaviors, and how their presence affects aggressive and stress-related behaviors. The results support the use of enrichment devices for captive primates and show that in marmosets, their effectiveness strongly depends on location within the enclosure and the presence of hidden food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonaventura Majolo
- Scottish Primate Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK.
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Abbott DH, Keverne EB, Bercovitch FB, Shively CA, Mendoza SP, Saltzman W, Snowdon CT, Ziegler TE, Banjevic M, Garland T, Sapolsky RM. Are subordinates always stressed? A comparative analysis of rank differences in cortisol levels among primates. Horm Behav 2003; 43:67-82. [PMID: 12614636 DOI: 10.1016/s0018-506x(02)00037-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 419] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Among primate species there is pronounced variation in the relationship between social status and measures of stress physiology. An informal meta-analysis was designed to investigate the basis of this diversity across different primate societies. Species were included only if a substantial amount of published information was available regarding both social behavior and rank-related differences in stress physiology. Four Old World and three New World species met these criteria, including societies varying from small-group, singular cooperative breeders (common marmoset and cotton top tamarin) to large-troop, multi-male, multi-female polygynous mating systems (rhesus, cynomolgus, talapoin, squirrel monkeys, and olive baboon). A questionnaire was formulated to obtain information necessary to characterize the stress milieu for individuals in particular primate societies. We standardized cortisol values within each species by calculating the ratio of basal cortisol concentrations of subordinates to those of dominants in stable dominance hierarchies and expressing the ratio as a percentage (relative cortisol levels). The meta-analysis identified two variables that significantly predicted relative cortisol levels: subordinates exhibited higher relative cortisol levels when they (1). were subjected to higher rates of stressors, and (2). experienced decreased opportunities for social (including close kin) support. These findings have important implications for understanding the different physiological consequences of dominant and subordinate social status across primate societies and how social rank may differ in its behavioral and physiological manifestations among primate societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- D H Abbott
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison,WI 53706, USA
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Barros M, De Souza Silva MA, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Anxiolytic-like effects of substance P fragment (SP(1-7)) in non-human primates (Callithrix penicillata). Peptides 2002; 23:967-73. [PMID: 12084529 DOI: 10.1016/s0196-9781(02)00020-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The behavioral effects of the amino (N)-terminal fragment of substance P (SP(1-7)) on the marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) predator confrontation test of fear/anxiety were investigated. The test apparatus consisted of a figure-eight maze with three parallel arms interconnected at each extremity to a perpendicular arm. A taxidermized oncilla cat (Felis tigrina) was placed outside the maze facing one of its corners. Subjects were submitted to seven 30 min maze habituation trials (HTs), in the absence of the 'predator', and then to six 30 min treatment trials (TTs), in the presence of the 'predator', consisting of four doses of SP(1-7) (5, 50, 250 and 500 microg/kg; IP), saline and sham injection. SP(1-7) treatment reversed, in a dose-dependent way, the fear-induced avoidance behavior due to the predator's presence and increased the frequency of exploratory behaviors. Locomotor activity decreased during successive HTs, yet increased after all SP(1-7) treatments. These results indicate that systemic administration of SP(1-7) produces anxiolytic-like effects in marmosets tested in the predator confrontation model of fear/anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Primate Center and Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, C.P. 04631, DF, Brasília, Brazil
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Pérez Conchillo M, Martínez-Sanchis S, Salvador A, Simón VM. The GABAergic effect of low doses of lorazepam on social behavior. Aggress Behav 2002. [DOI: 10.1002/ab.90025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Abstract
Non-human primates exhibit similar physiological and behavioral responses to anxiety-inducing situations as humans and have, in fact, been successfully employed in both conditioned (i.e. conflict paradigms) and ethologically based tests of fear/anxiety (i.e. involuntary isolation, social interaction, human threat, predator confrontation). In the last decade, a renewed and growing interest in non-human primate models has resulted from the use of the small callitrichid species in behavioral pharmacology and neuroscience. This review focuses on the available non-human primate models for investigating fear/anxiety, addressing their advantages, shortcomings, and conceptual framework on which they are based. Lastly, a new ethologically based model to study anxiety and fear-induced avoidance in callitrichids--the marmoset predator confrontation test--is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia Barros
- Primate Center and Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, CEP 70910-900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil
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Barros M, Mello EL, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Behavioral effects of buspirone in the marmoset employing a predator confrontation test of fear and anxiety. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2001; 68:255-62. [PMID: 11267630 DOI: 10.1016/s0091-3057(00)00447-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In order to further validate the recently developed marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) predator confrontation model of fear and anxiety, we investigated the behavioral effects of buspirone with this method. The apparatus consisted of three parallel arms connected at each end to a perpendicular arm, forming a figure-eight continuous maze. A taxidermized wild oncilla cat (Felis tigrina) was positioned facing a corner of the parallel arms, alternating between the left or right side of the maze among animals tested. All subjects were first submitted to seven 30-min maze habituation trials (HTs) in the absence of the predator, and then to five randomly assigned treatment trials (TTs) in the presence of the predator: three buspirone sessions (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg), saline and sham injection controls. Twenty minutes after treatment administration, the animal was released into the maze and had free access to the apparatus for 30 min. All trials were taped for later behavioral analysis. Buspirone significantly decreased the frequency of scent marking, while increasing the time spent in proximity to the 'predator' stimulus, indicating an anxiolytic effect. Neither locomotor activity, exposure to a novel environment, stimulus location and habituation, nor gender influenced the effects of the drug treatments. These results further validate this method and demonstrate the potential usefulness of this ethologically based paradigm to test anxiety and fear-induced avoidance in nonhuman primates and its susceptibility to anxiolytic pharmacological manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Barros
- Primate Center and Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasília, Brazil, CEP 70910-900, DF, Brasília, Brazil
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Barros M, Boere V, Huston JP, Tomaz C. Measuring fear and anxiety in the marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) with a novel predator confrontation model: effects of diazepam. Behav Brain Res 2000; 108:205-11. [PMID: 10701664 DOI: 10.1016/s0166-4328(99)00153-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This report describes a new experimental method for measuring fear and anxiety in Cerrado marmosets (Callithrix penicillata). In order to test the sensitivity of the behavioral parameters to an anxiolytic substance, the effects of the benzodiazepine diazepam on the anxiety measures were examined. The strategy was to use a naturally occurring stimulus known to elicit anxiety and fear in this species. A taxidermized predator (the wild cat Felis tigrina) was chosen as the stimulus to induce anxiety-related behaviors on the basis of a preceding study in which various stimuli were systematically compared in their effectiviness to induce fear responses. The apparatus consisted of three parallel arms of equal dimensions, joining two perpendicular arms at each end, thus comprising a figure eight-like or five-arm continuous rectangular maze. The wild-cat was placed outside of one corner of the maze's outer parallel arms. Each subject was submitted to six treatments given in random order: three drug sessions (diazepam 1, 2 and 3 mg/kg, i.m.), saline, sham (injection control), and a control session, involving neither manipulation nor injection. Subjects were placed into the back of the chamber, out of sight of the 'predator', 20 min after a treatment and given free access to the maze for 30 min. The behavioral repertoire was recorded via videocamera. The following behaviors were considered to be possible indices of emotionality relevant to exposure to the predator in the paradigm used: scratching, scent marking, exploration, frequency and time spent in each of 13 defined sections of the maze. Administration of diazepam induced a significant reduction in scratching and an increase in the time spent in the vicinity of the 'predator', as well as in the frequency of exploratory behaviors, indicative of an anxiolytic effect. Gender did not influence the effect of treatment. These results suggest that this new ethologically-based test may be a useful method for studying anxiety and fear-induced avoidance in non-human primates and for pre-clinical research on psychoactive drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Barros
- Primate Center and Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, Brazil, DF
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