Neural Circuitry of Social Behavior in Bonnet Macaques

描述（由申请人提供）：在试图理解社会行为的基本神经生物学时，灵长类动物模型将是理想的。帽猴（Macaca radiata）是非人类灵长类动物中表现出一系列复杂社会行为的一个特别好的例子。在本提案中，我们建议生物行为灵长类实验室和临床神经影像学小组合作，探索、开发和实施方法，以研究特定的神经生物学基质调节灵长类动物社会行为的各个方面。首先，我们计划进行基线磁共振成像研究，包括体积分析、磁共振波谱和扩散张量成像，在24个发育早期的婴儿中进行，以表征反映在社会表现中的大脑结构和功能。我们感兴趣的主要区域是纹状体，这反映了该区域在调节大脑奖励通路中的作用的证据趋同，这可能支持灵长类动物参与社会活动的强化。其次，为了评估社会行为，我们将开发一系列社会互动的视频模拟，可以用来测试帽子的可微分反应，使社会行为的研究在可控和可量化的条件下。该研究的主要假设是，通过3种成像方式测量的24个帽子中存在连续的纹状体病理，而那些显示出最多病理成像概况的帽子在面对现场社交互动时比面对社交视频时表现出更少的社交参与。如果得到证实，这表明纹状体异常的“生存能力”阻碍了灵长类动物的整体社会灵活性和社会互动的动力。该项目的第二个目标是发展教育和未来的研究组成部分，其中包括研究学徒和研究生和本科生在社会神经科学相关项目中工作的机会。最终，这些知识将有助于更好地理解与社会行为相关的生物行为过程，与精神分裂症、社交焦虑症、自闭症和涉及人际社会行为破坏的人格障碍等疾病相关。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In attempting to understand the fundamental neurobiology of social behavior, a primate animal model would be ideal. The bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) is a particularly good example of a species of nonhuman primate that exhibits a range of sophisticated social behaviors. In this proposal, we propose a collaboration between a biobehavioral primatology laboratory and a clinical neuroimaging group to explore, develop, and implement methods that would allow for the study of specific neurobiological substrates modulating aspects of primate social behavior. First, we plan to conduct baseline magnetic resonance imaging studies, including volumetric analyses, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and diffusion tensor imaging, in 24 bonnets early in development in order to characterize a profile of brain structure and function which is reflected in social performance. The major region of interest is the corpus striatum, reflecting a convergence of evidence of this region's role in modulating brain reward pathways, which might subserve a primate's reinforcement to engage in social activity. Second, to assess social behavior, we will develop a series of video simulations of social interactions that can be used to test bonnets' differentiable responsivity, enabling the study of social behavior under controlled and quantifiable conditions. The study's main hypotheses are that there will be a continuum of striatal pathology among the 24 bonnets as measured by the 3 imaging modalities, and those bonnets who display the most pathological imaging profiles will display less social engagement when confronted with live social interactions than when confronted with social video encounters. If confirmed, this suggests that abnormal striatal "viability" impedes a primate's overall social dexterity and drive for social interaction. A secondary aim of this project is to develop an educational and future research component, which will include a research apprenticeship and opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to work in social neuroscience-related projects. Ultimately, this knowledge will contribute to a better understanding of the biobehavioral processes related to social behavior, with relevance to disorders such as schizophrenia, social anxiety disorder, autism, and personality disorders involving disruption of interpersonal social behavior.