Changes of ongoing activity in Cebus monkey perirhinal cortex correlate with behavioral performance

Abstract

A Cebus apella monkey weighing 4 kg was trained in a saccadic eye movement task and while the animal performed the task we recorded the extracellular activity of perirhinal cortical neurons. Although the task was very simple and maintained at a constant level of difficulty, we observed considerable changes in the performance of the monkey within each experimental session. The behavioral states responsible for such variation may be related to arousal, motivation or attention of the animal while engaged in the task. In approximately 20% (16/82) of the units recorded, long-term direct or inverse correlations could be demonstrated between the monkey's behavioral state and the cells' ongoing activity (independent of the visual stimulation or of the specific behavior along a trial). The perirhinal cortex and other medial temporal structures have long been associated with normal memory function. The data presented here were interpreted in terms of recent reports focusing on the subcortical afferents to temporal lobe structures and their possible role in controlling arousal, motivation, or attention.

Cortical Afferents of Area 10 in Cebus Monkeys: Implications for the Evolution of the Frontal Pole

“…However, we do not consider this a serious limitation. Although the information about the superior temporal cortex in Cebus is presently limited to behavioral lesion studies (e.g., Colombo et al 1996), work in other systems of cortical areas has highlighted the essential similarity of function between corresponding parts of the brain in Cebus and Macaca (e.g., Felleman et al 1983;Flament and Hore 1988;Fiorani et al 1989;Rosa et al 1993;Lynch 1995, 1996;Leichnetz 2001;Middleton and Strick 2002;Dum and Strick 2005;Lima et al 2005;Padberg et al 2007, Côté et al 2017. When judged in light of the fact that the cytoarchitectural criteria established for the macaque were found to apply well to the Cebus frontal and temporal areas (Cruz-Rizzolo et al 2011;present observations) and the essentially identical patterns of connections of the frontal pole revealed for the 2 species (see above), the most parsimonious interpretation of the available data is that the information gathered in the macaque is likely to be a valid guide to the functions of the homologous areas in Cebus.…”

Color Discrimination in the Tufted Capuchin Monkey, Sapajus spp

“…Over many years, a comprehensive description of the retina and visual system of capuchin monkeys has been derived from electrophysiological studies [8], [18]–[24]. To date, the morphology and distribution of ganglion cells [21], [25]–[30], bipolar cells [31], [32], horizontal cells [33], rods, and cones [34]–[37] have been extensively characterized.…”

Rod bipolar cells in the retina of the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella): Characterization and distribution

“…Despite the nocturnal origin of both mammals and primates, the nocturnal components of our retina (rods, rod bipolar cells, AII amacrine cells, and ganglion cells) and the nocturnal visual system in general have been relatively neglected by anatomists, electrophysiologists, and ophthalmologists (Daw et al, 1990; Bloomfield & Dacheux, 2001). Over many years, this laboratory has amassed a comprehensive description of the retina of the capuchin monkey Cebus apella , a Platyrrhini species increasingly popular for behavioral (e.g., Brosnan & de Waal, 2003; Moura & Lee, 2004) and electrophysiological studies (Gattass et al, 1987; Rosa & Gattass, 1988; Fiorani et al, 1989; Silveira et al, 1999; Lee et al, 2000; Diogo et al, 2003; Jansen et al, 2004; Lima et al, 2004). To date, the morphology and distribution of ganglion cells (Silveira et al, 1989, 1994, 1999; Lima et al, 1996; Yamada et al, 1996 a , b , 2001), bipolar cells (Silveira et al, 1998), horizontal cells (dos Reis et al, 2002), rods, and cones (Andrade-da-Costa & Hokoç, 2000; Franco et al, 2000; Silveira et al, 2001; Finlay et al, 2008) have been extensively characterized.…”