An automated device for training macaque monkeys

Background and Aim : Non-human primates (NHPs) are the best animal model for studying the neural mechanisms of high level and cognitive behaviors, because an NHP brain has many similarities to a human. In common neurophysiological experimental settings, macaque monkeys normally are required to temporarily leave the housing facility to be trained in dedicated experimental settings outside their cage environment. Animals have to learn to accurately operate devices such as a touchscreen, a joystick, a lever, or a button. These devices let a monkey interact with the behavioral paradigm during cognitive tasks such as delay match to sample (DMS). The recoding procedure could not be started until the training has been completed. This laboratory in-chair training is a time-consuming process with inherent limitations.Methods : To overcome these issues, we developed a low-cost, open-source and touchscreen training system that can be installed in the cage environment and automated all training process. The automatic device training (ADT) can run continuously all day, including over weekends, without experimenter intervention. Since we run the experiment using MATLAB psychtoolbox, a wide range of behavioral training can be implemented by ADT. We trained naïve rhesus monkeys to perform a wide range of cognitive tasks from touchscreen interaction to the complex DMS compromised large stimuli.Results : The ADT provides stress free-conditions for animals, so they can learn a difficult cognitive task in a short period of time without applying any restriction or water deprivation. Monkeys enjoy filling their empty time with ADT.Conclusion : Using this method, we trained three monkeys to perform DMS task in less than two months which is considerably less than traditional methods training time.

Keywords:

automatic device training , low-cost , macaque monkeys , cognitive tasks