An automatic experimental apparatus to study arm reaching in New World monkeys

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience methods Vol. 264; pp. 57 - 64
• Main Authors: Yin, Allen, An, Jehi, Lehew, Gary, Lebedev, Mikhail A., Nicolelis, Miguel A.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-05-2016
• Subjects: Animal model; Animals; Aotidae; Arm - physiology; Arm reaching; Behavior; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Electrophysiological Phenomena - physiology; Equipment Design; Experimental control; Female; Models, Animal; Motor Cortex - physiology; Neural recordings; Neurons - physiology; New World monkeys; Platyrrhini - physiology; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Arm reaching; Experimental control; Animal model; New World monkeys; Behavior; Neural recordings
• ISSN: 0165-0270; 1872-678X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.02.017

•An automated apparatus is developed for controlled experiments for small primates.•Owl monkeys learned a visually-cued task using the apparatus.•Neural recordings show direction tuning of M1 neurons.
Several species of the New World monkeys have been used as experimental models in biomedical and neurophysiological research. However, a method for controlled arm reaching tasks has not been developed for these species.
We have developed a fully automated, pneumatically driven, portable, and reconfigurable experimental apparatus for arm-reaching tasks suitable for these small primates.
We have utilized the apparatus to train two owl monkeys in a visually-cued arm-reaching task. Analysis of neural recordings demonstrates directional tuning of the M1 neurons.
Our apparatus allows automated control, freeing the experimenter from manual experiments.
The presented apparatus provides a valuable tool for conducting neurophysiological research on New World monkeys.