fMRI in alert, behaving monkeys: an adaptation of the human infant familiarization novelty preference procedure.

Full Abstract

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly used in non-human primate research. In the present study, we adapt the familiarization-novelty preference (FNP) procedure used in human infant research to examine visual behavior in alert, unanaesthetized rhesus monkeys that were acclimated to the fMRI environment, but did not undergo behavioral training. In keeping with the typical FNP paradigm, we recorded eye movements (looking time and number of fixations) while monkeys viewed a series of four identical pictures (familiarization phase) followed by two different pictures (novelty phase). Number of fixations and looking time both increased during the novelty phase, thereby demonstrating visual discrimination of the new from the old picture. Importantly, discrimination did not occur on catch trials in which six identical pictures were presented. Moreover, brain activation in the amygdala was more strongly associated with the novelty phase than with the familiarization phase. In addition, magnitude of brain activation in the amygdala was correlated with the behavioral effect of visual discrimination. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using eye movements as an index of visual discrimination in untrained monkeys during fMRI scanning. This methodological approach helps to extend the repertoire of research tools for fMRI in non-human primates.

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Author information

Author/s: Joseph, Jane E (JE); Powell, David K (DK); Andersen, Anders H (AH); Bhatt, Ramesh S (RS); Dunlap, Michael K (MK); Foldes, Stephen T (ST); Forman, Eric (E); Hardy, Peter A (PA); Steinmetz, Nicholas A (NA); Zhang, Zhiming (Z);

Affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. jjoseph(-atsign-)uky.edu

Grants: P01 AG13494 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 HD04245 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS) ; R01 MH06387 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of neuroscience methods (J Neurosci Methods), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Oct; vol 157 (issue 1) : pp 10-24

Dates: Created 2006/08/29; Completed 2006/12/14; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 16675025, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Physiological
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Attention - physiology
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Brain - blood supply; physiology
Brain Mapping
Exploratory Behavior - physiology
Eye Movements - physiology
Female

Female
Head Movements - physiology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods
Macaca mulatta
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Oxygen - blood
Photic Stimulation - methods
Recognition (Psychology) - physiology
Signal Detection, Psychological - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Oxygen (7782-44-7)

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