Using MaqFACS to measure facial movement deficits in monkeys

描述（由申请人提供）：帕金森病（PD）是一种进行性神经退行性疾病，由纹状体中多巴胺（DA）神经元的消耗引起。其主要症状与运动有关，包括震颤、运动迟缓、弯腰和掩饰面部情绪。目前有几种用于研究帕金森病病理生理的猴子模型。最广泛使用的是MPTP，这是一种对多巴胺能神经元有毒的物质，非常准确地反映了人类PD的潜在原因、症状和进展。为了评估MPTP猴子的运动相关损伤，研究人员采用了传统的临床评级系统，但直到最近，还没有标准化的测量系统来评估面部表情缺陷，尽管这是人类PD的一种衰弱症状。FACS（面部动作编码系统）是测量人类面部运动的黄金标准。FACS是基于解剖学的，因为它根据面部肌肉的潜在动作来识别面部运动。研究人员已经使用FACS来揭示PD患者面部表情的类型和强度的缺陷。研究人员最近开发了一种猴子FACS (MaqFACS)， MPTP猴子的试验数据表明，该系统可能比传统的评级系统更敏感地衡量早发性PD。该项目将直接评估MaqFACS与其他评分系统（活动监测和行为评分量表）相比，在表征mptp治疗猴子PD症状进展方面的有效性。在基线会议期间，面部运动将被录像，然后使用MaqFACS进行编码，以及两种情绪刺激（暴露在镜子前和对其他猴子的电影做出反应）来唤起面部表情。面部运动的个体间差异将被量化，面部运动的类型和数量的变化将在mptp治疗过程中进行比较。然后给帕金森猴子服用DA激动剂来逆转它们的症状，并使用相同的测试和测量程序评估功能恢复情况。这些数据将验证MaqFACS在识别最常见的帕金森病猴模型中帕金森病早期发病症状的有效性，并有助于开发有效的治疗方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a depletion of dopamine (DA) neurons in the striatum. Its major symptoms are movement- related, including tremors, bradykinesis, stooped posture, and masked facial affect. There are several monkey models for studying the pathophysiology of PD. The most widely used involves a MPTP, a substance that is toxic to dopaminergic neurons and very accurately mirrors the underlying cause, symptoms and progression of PD in humans. To assess the motor-related impairments in MPTP monkeys, researchers have adapted traditional clinical rating systems, but until recently, no standardized measurement system has been available to assess deficits in facial expressivity, despite this being a debilitating symptom of PD in humans. The FACS (Facial Action Coding System) is the gold standard for measuring facial movement in humans. FACS is anatomically-based as it identifies facial movement according to the underlying action of facial muscles. Researchers have used FACS to reveal deficits in both the type and intensity of facial expressions made by people with PD. Investigators have recently developed a monkey FACS (MaqFACS) and pilot data in MPTP monkeys suggest that this system may be a more sensitive measure of early onset PD than traditional rating systems. This project will directly assess the effectiveness of MaqFACS, compared to other rating systems (activity monitoring and a behavioral rating scale), in characterizing the progression of PD symptoms in MPTP-treated monkeys. Facial movement will be video recorded and then coded using MaqFACS during baseline sessions as well as two emotional provocations (exposure to a mirror and response to movies of other monkeys) to evoke facial expressivity. Inter-individual variability in facial movement will be quantified and changes in the type and amount of facial movement will be compared across the MPTP-treatment progression. The PD monkeys will then be given a DA agonist to reverse their symptoms and recovery of function will be assessed using the same testing and measurement procedures. These data will validate the effectiveness of MaqFACS in identifying the early onset of PD symptoms in the most common monkey model of PD and aid in the development of effective treatments.