NEURAL SUBSTRATES CROSS-MODAL INTEGRATION OF SOCIO-EMOTIONAL CUES: PET IMAGING

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 中心，不一定是研究者的机构。 该项目将眼动追踪和PET成像技术与恒河猴的优先寻找任务相结合，以评估社会显着线索的跨模态整合的神经基质，这种技能被认为是社会行为自我调节的关键。 我们已经购买了所有的设备，获得了所有的猴子面部刺激和声音发声，并设置了所有的设备，用于记录动物被动地观看一致（发声对应于面部情绪）和不一致刺激（发声不对应于面部情绪）的视觉搜索模式。 在两只正常的成年猴子身上完成了初步测试，他们的数据复制了以前的发现，正常发育的猴子表现出整合复杂社会线索的听觉和视觉成分的先天能力。使用这些标准，我们现在已经开始测试实验动物与新生儿病变的杏仁核和眶额叶皮层和假手术的控制。 在本年度，我们还购买了眼动追踪系统，目前正在训练6只猴子的范例。 最初的试验表明，动物迅速习惯于刺激的呈现。 我们对刺激呈现的时间表进行了重大调整，并纳入了额外的刺激，以减少PET成像所需的25分钟测试期间的习惯化。第一个受试者将在明年准备进行成像试验。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project combines eye-tracking and PET imaging techniques with a preferential looking task in rhesus macaques to assess the neural substrates underlying cross-modal integration of socially salient cues, a skill thought to be critical in self-regulation of social behavior. We have purchased all equipment, acquired all of the monkey face stimuli and sound vocalizations, and set-up all the equipment for the recording of the visual search patterns while the animals are passively viewing congruent (vocalization corresponding to facial emotions) and incongruent stimuli (vocalization not corresponding to facial emotions). Pilot testing has been completed on two normal adult monkeys and their data replicate previous findings such that normally developing monkeys exhibit an innate ability to integrate the audio and visual components of complex social cues. Using these criteria, we have now begun to test the experimental animals with neonatal lesions of the amygdala and orbital frontal cortex and the sham-operated controls. During the current year, we have also purchased the eye-tracking system and are currently training 6 monkeys on the paradigm. Initial tests indicate that animals rapidly habituate to stimuli presentation. We made significant adjustment in the schedule of stimuli presentation and inclusion of additional stimuli to reduce habituation during the 25 minute testing period required for PET imaging. The first subject will be ready for imaging trials during the coming year.